It is official. Shane Warne is set to reunite with Rajasthan Royals when the Indian Premier League (IPL) action gets underway in April this year. The Australian spin ace, who captained the Rajasthan outfit in the first four editions of the IPL, has been named as the mentor of the team--which returns to the fold after two-year suspension.
"I am very happy and excited to be back with the Rajasthan Royals who I believe hold a very special place in my cricketing journey. I am overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on me by the franchise and fans of Rajasthan Royals,” Warne said on Tuesday.
Last week, Sportstar was the first publication to report that the Australian spin great would be roped in as the new mentor for the Royals."We have a strong, young and energetic bunch of boys and I am looking forward to work with them," Warne added.
Read: Warne close to joining RR as mentor
While Warne will be the mentor, Royals is likely to hire a batting and a fielding coach and there's a buzz that it's former coach Paddy Upton may again join the side. There, however, is no confirmation on that yet.
Royals co-owner, Manoj Badale, feels this is the franchise's way of giving something back to its fans. "Bringing back Shane Warne is also a way to giving back to our fans who have stood by us in trying times. As we are looking to build a strong team that can be in contention for the title, we believe Warne is the right person to mentor the Rajasthan Royals. Zubin has also contributed immensely to the growth of the team and we are happy to have both back on board. We are excited and looking forward to a successful comeback," Badale said.
As the mentor, Warne will work closely with the seniors in the team, particularly the captain--Steven Smith-- to ensure all areas of strategy and tactics are covered.
In addition, he will be working with all the spinners to impart technical knowledge in the art of spin. He will also work closely with the marketing and sponsorship teams to ensure certain commitments are fulfilled.
By bringing back a legend in the side, Royals certainly has sprung in the biggest surprise of the IPL so far.
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