IPL 2020: Shane Warne reappointed as Rajasthan Royals mentor
Former Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne has been reappointed as the team's mentor and brand ambassador for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. He is all set to work with the head coach Andrew McDonald and captain Steven Smith. Meanwhile, the Royals, who finished seventh last season, will begin their campaign against Chennai Super Kings on September 22 in Sharjah.
'Excited to work for Royals again', says Warne
Warner expressed his excitement about rejoining his former IPL franchise. "On my dual role, it's always a great feeling to be back with Royals - my team, my family," Warne said in a statement. "It's exciting to be working across elements of this franchise. We have worked towards our vision of becoming a global team that fans around the world love and follow."
'Looking forward to work as a mentor'
"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," added Warne.
RR COO Jake McCrum welcomes Warne
Rajasthan's COO Jake McCrum 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 said. "Shane is someone who exemplifies our vision of driving innovation and we're delighted to have him with us supporting the growth of our franchise, while also motivating our players for success."
Warne to work with RR's Head of Cricket Zubin Bharucha
Warne will join Bharucha, Head of Cricket at Rajasthan Royals. Interestingly, Bharucha was the team director when Warne led the Royals in the inaugural edition. Warne will also campaign for the Royals' philanthropic initiatives focused on women empowerment with the Royal Rajasthan Foundation.
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL edition under Warne
A year after retiring from international cricket, Shane Warne was named the skipper of Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural IPL edition. Despite leading a side that lacked marquee players, Warne helped them win their maiden title. His captaincy stood out in the entire tournament, especially in the final against Chennai Super Kings. However, the Royals are yet to win another title ever since.
Recently, Warne proposed a change in T20 cricket
The Australian legend has been in the headlines due to his interesting suggestions. Recently, he came up with a quirky idea of extending the quota of bowlers to five in T20 cricket. Warne initially shared the idea while commentating in the second T20I between England and Australia. He then urged BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to implement this rule in the IPL.
