Ex-captain Shane Warne named Rajasthan Royals brand ambassador and mentor

Warne will also be the Royals' mentor for the upcoming IPL that starts on September 19 in the UAE.

He will work with the head coach Andrew McDonald - the pair was former team-mates at Victoria - and captain Steven Smith.

"On my dual role, it's always a great feeling to be back with Royals - my team, my family," Warne said in a statement released by the franchise.

"It's exciting to be working across all elements of this franchise that I love. We have worked towards our vision of becoming a global team that fans around the world love and follow.

This season I am looking forward to working as a team mentor and joining up with an excellent backroom staff in Zubin Bharucha [head of cricket] and Andrew McDonald. Hopefully, we can have a successful season and achieve big things in the coming months."

Jake McCrum, the Royals' COO, welcomed Warne back into their set-up. "He is one of the all-time greats of the game and is very special to us here at Rajasthan Royals.

He is someone who exemplifies our vision of driving innovation and we're delighted to have him with us supporting both the growth of our franchise globally, while also motivating our players for success on the field."

The Royals will open their campaign against Chennai Super Kings on September 22 in Sharjah.