Jaipur: If it’s a match involving Rajasthan Royals, the name of legendary Shane Warne is bound to come up for discussion and exactly the same happened during the match of Rajasthan Royals against Kings XI Punjab at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium which the hosts won comprehensively.
“Warnie is a legend. He did a great job with Rajasthan Royals and we are surely going to miss him, both as a leader and a bowler. He was an inspiration for the youngsters in the team,” Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid said when being asked if who amongst the two—captain or a bowler – in Shane Warne will be missed by RR this season.
Shane Warne had been a motivating force behind the Rajasthan Royals success in the first edition of the IPL where from being the minnows, they went on to win the inaugural title. He turned out champions out of the young Indian raw talents and many went on to wear the Indian colours later.
Meanwhile, Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist said that it would be unfair to compare Dravid with spin wizard Shane Warne. “Shane had different capabilities and characteristics. He had his own game plans. He was good at managing the resources at his disposal. But we don't need to compare him with Rahul Dravid. Dravid is terrific as a person, respected all over the world. He has rallied his team around. Perhaps Rajasthan Royals is among the least fancied team in this IPL but he has been able to begin with a good victory and this is going to help them,” said Gilly.
Meanwhile both Dravid and Gilchrist were in all praise for young Ajinkya Rahane. RR skipper Dravid said that Rahane is an exciting talent and has really worked hard after being out of the Indian team. “It’s good to start with a win. Rahane played brilliantly. He has worked really hard after being out of the Indian team. It was nice to see the youngsters doing well. We executed our plans well. But then it’s just the beginning and it’s a long tournament. We need to keep the momentum going," Dravid said during post match presentation ceremony, adding that Cooper too was menacing on the field today.
Adam Gilchrist said that his side was a bit itchy in the middle but there were a lot of positives that they could take from this match. “We chased well till the 16th over but then lost the plot. Cooper bowled well. Rahane played a fantastic innings. We were outplayed. Probably, I got the toss wrong. We gave away 20-30 runs more than what I thought we should have conceded. We now have plenty to work. We need to work hard for our victories and execute our plans well," Gilchrist added.
Ecstatic about getting the man-of-the-match award, Rahane said that he would like to continue playing such innings and contribute to his team’s cause. “I was batting well even in practice games so wanted to continue. I believe in myself and if you are a good batsman, you will play well irrespective of the format,” said Rahane when asked if T20 suited his style of batting.
“The wicket was good and the ball was coming on well," he said.
