“It is ridiculous”: When Shane Warne was furious over instructions of making new pitches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium during IPL 2011

Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne was one of the best in the game, and he made his presence known in the Indian Premier League as well. Under his leadership, Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition of the IPL when none gave them a chance in the competition.

However, after the initial success, the Royals could not do well in the next seasons of the tournament. The 2011 edition of the tournament was the last one for Warne. Rajasthan Royals have always enjoyed playing at their home ground in Jaipur, and the same was happening in 2011 as well.

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The Royals won their first four of the five matches at home, but they faced a heavy defeat in their next match. It was said that the tracks were changed ahead of the match, and Warne was very angry about the same.

When Shane Warne was furious over instructions of making new pitches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium

Shane Warne was furious after Rajasthan’s defeat against Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur. He said that the instructions to change the pitch just before the match was not right, and it should not have happened. Warne said the instructions took away the home advantage from them.

The pitches in the initial matches suited Rajasthan Royals as it was on the slower side, where the duo of Johan Botha and Warne enjoyed bowling. However, it was a batting-friendly wicket against Chennai, and the combination of the Royals could not do well on it.

“In the past four years, we have never been told to play on any particular wicket. It is ridiculous to have instructions for pitch,” Shane Warne had said after losing against Chennai Super Kings.

“The wickets for earlier matches were fantastic. If you had been watching earlier matches here you can make out easily that today’s wicket was different. It has come as a shock and surprise that we were being instructed to play on certain kind of wicket.”

Chennai Super Kings scored 196/3 in the first innings, where Murali Vijay scored a half-century. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, got bundled out for just 133 runs.