IPL 2008 was a fairytale story of the Rajasthan Royals. Ahead of the tournament, the Royals were considered the weakest team on paper, and they lost their first match as well against the Delhi side. However, they won their 2nd match at their home venue and never looked back.
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They won the title by beating Chennai Super Kings in the final of the tournament, and Shane Watson was Rajasthan Royals’ hero in that campaign. He scored 472 runs in the tournament at 47.20, whereas he also scalped 17 wickets in bowling. Shane Warne was the captain & coach of the side, and he was seen as the biggest influence on the team.
It is interesting that Warne threatened to leave the Royals before IPL 2008 as he was not happy with some selection calls. Even after his retirement from cricket, Warne was connected with the Royals in some or the other capacity. Even Warne had said many times that winning the IPL 2008 was one of his sweetest memories.
Shane Watson once recalled how Shane Warne’s belief made him join Rajasthan Royals
Shane Watson had once recalled how Shane Warne’s influence made him join the Rajasthan Royals in 2008. Watson had a season to remember and his international career certainly revived after it. The all-rounder revealed that he was battling injuries, but Warne always believed in him which helped him to do well above expectations.
Watson revealed that Warne was the coach & captain of the side, and he ran the whole show in IPL 2008 for the Royals. He insisted that Warrne made him feel like Superman, and he could do anything on the field. The Australian all-rounder revealed that Warne had the same kind of influence on almost every player.
“I was in Australian cricket’s scrap heap in 2008 because of the injuries I had, and Warnie always believed in me. He is the reason why I went to Rajasthan Royals,” Watson said in an interaction with ICC.
“To be able to have him as captain and coach me for those four years at Rajasthan Royals turned me from a cricketer who had a bit of belief in myself into one to believing I was Superman.”
Watson was a regular figure in the Australian team after the IPL 2008, and he played his final international match for Australia in 2016 against India. He represented Australia in 59 Tests, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is. Watson played 78 IPL matches for the Royals, where he scored 2372 runs at 36.49 with the help of 2 centuries and 14 half-centuries. He has also scalped 61 IPL wickets.
