Shane Watson IPL 2021 team: Is Shane Watson playing Indian Premier League 2020?

Shane Watson IPL 2021 team: The former Australian all-rounder is one of the most impact-generating players in the Indian Premier League.

It was after the 13th season of the Indian Premier League in the UAE last year that former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson had decided to hang his boots from the sport.

Watson, 39, was below par in IPL 2020 as former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings registered their worst-ever season; failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in the history of the tournament.

As far as the shortest format at the highest level is concerned, Watson continues to be Australia’s fourth-highest T20I run-scorer with his 1,462 runs in 56 innings coming at an average and strike rate of 29.24 and 145.32 respectively.

Primarily a batting all-rounder, Watson was equally effective with the bowl in hand especially in this format. With his 48 wickets in 49 innings coming at an average of 24.72, an economy rate of 7.65 and a strike rate of 19.3, the medium-pacer continues to be Australia’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is even after five years of international retirement.

Shane Watson IPL 2021 team

Talking about Watson’s participation in Indian Premier League 2021, it is worth mentioning that the T20 stalwart won’t be playing in the 14th season of the IPL after “retiring from all formats”.

Watson’s decorated IPL career comprised of stints for Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Super Kings. In 145 IPL matches, Watson’s 3,874 runs had come at an average and strike rate of 30.99 and 137.91 respectively.

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Only all-rounder in the IPL to score 3,500+ runs and pick 90+ wickets, Watson also had 92 scalps to his name in the cash-rich league. Watson’s prowess in the IPL can be judged from the fact that he is the only player to win the MVP Award twice (2008 and 2013). Among his other IPL feats, Watson is one of the two players (alongside Rohit Sharma) to score a century and pick a hat-trick in the tournament.