When $50 million Net worth Shane Warne threatened to leave Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2008

The year 2008 saw the birth of the Indian Premier League which later changed the whole cricketing scenario. Ahead of the tournament, Rajasthan Royals were considered the weakest team on paper, but under the captaincy of Shane Warne, the team won the title that season.

The Royals made a team around Shane Warne, he was not just the captain of the side, but he took all the other decisions as well. Ravindra Jadeja, Shane Watson, Sohail Tanvir, Yusuf Pathan, etc, all thrived under the captaincy of Warne, and they had a season to remember.

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Rajasthan Royals topped the league stage, and they defeated Chennai Super Kings in the final to clinch the maiden IPL title. Warne took 19 wickets in the campaign for the Royals, and he scored a brilliant half-century with the bat as well.

When $50 million Net worth Shane Warne threatened to leave Rajasthan Royals

Shane Warne had a dream season with Rajasthan Royals when he led them to the IPL title in 2008 but in his autobiography ‘No Spin, Warne’, he revealed that he was very close to leaving the Royals even before the inaugural edition of the tournament started.

Rajasthan Royals owner Manoj Badale asked Warne to keep a player in the squad, he referred to as Asif. However, Warne was unsure about having in the team, and he said to Badale that keeping Asif in the squad will hint at favouritism, and he does not want that in the side.

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“If I put Asif in that group, they’ll know he’s not good enough and that he’s there because of some hidden favouritism. At that point, I’ll lose them. So if you want Asif in the squad, that’s fine, but I’ll give you your money back – I don’t want to be part of it.’ ‘Are you serious?’ asked Manoj (Badale). ‘I’m deadly serious,’ I said. ‘Let me sleep on it.’.”

After Warne’s warning, Badale asked Warne to keep Asif just in the dugout, but Warne denied to that proposal as well. In the end, Badale had to agree with Warne, and the rest is history for the franchise.