Shane Warne returns to Rajasthan Royals as mentor

The legendary cricketer and mastermind will mentor the Rajasthan Royals in their comeback season and will be looking to recreate the old magic that has stood the test of time in the Indian Premier League.

The gifted Warne inspired Rajasthan Royals’ fairytale title run as captain-cum-coach in the inaugural IPL way back in 2008. With a strong and energetic bunch at his disposal this time, Royals will look up to him to weave his magic yet again.

Warnie,as he is known to the fans,is a true Royalty when it comes to the franchise. The success he has achieved over the years with a bunch of youngsters at the Royals is now folklore and deeply woven into the fabric of the franchise.

He will be joined by another Royals old hand in former Mumbai batsman Zubin Bharucha as Head of Cricket.

Warne and Bharucha’s association goes back a long way to 2008 at Royals.

As part of Royals’ think tank, the two have forged a solid combination to carry forward the vision of the franchise. They are looking forward to working with each other again.

As the Royals are back in the IPL fold after two years, the management wanted to recreate some nostalgia, and with it bring along a level of expertise which only a handful of individuals around the world possess.

Shane Warne confessed that the Royals had always been close to his heart. “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,” said the man with a golden arm.

“We have a strong, young and energetic bunch of boys and I am looking forward to work with them”, added Shane

The Australian led the Royals for three seasons from 2008-11 during which he played 52 games and picked 56 wickets. Later, he continued to be a guiding force for the team.

As the greatest spin bowler the world has ever seen (708 Test wickets in 145 matches) Warne bound the spectators in a spell unseen on a cricket field. As a captain, he has been a leader par ex-cellence. His astute leadership and cricketing brain came to the fore at Royals.

“We welcome back Shane Warne as Rajasthan Royals mentor. He is a legend of the game and what he has achieved in Rajasthan Royals is unmatchable,” said co-owner Manoj Badale.

“Bringing back Shane Warne is also a way of 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.”

Zubin Bharucha said he was thrilled to get another opportunity to work with Warne at Rajasthan Royals. “We have always looked to groom talent at Rajasthan Royals and it will be no different this time.”

In his role as mentor, Warne will have a multitude of tasks to fulfil, both on and off the field. His main role will be to work closely with the senior leaders in the team, particularly the captain, 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.

The Royals cannot wait to have the legend back and everyone is looking forward to the time he will spend with the franchise this season.

Image: Rajasthan Royals twitter page