rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Cricket » 'Would have been a huge shame had Rajasthan not played this IPL'
This article was first published 10 years ago

'Would have been a huge shame had Rajasthan not played this IPL'

April 01, 2014 12:11 IST

Image: Shane Watson
Photographs: BCCI

Rajasthan Royals has had a controversial tenure in their six seasons in the Indian Premier League but their new captain Shane Watson feels it
would have been a "shame" if the champions of the inaugural year were barred from playing in the seventh edition.

"Personally for me, it would be a huge shame if Rajasthan wasn't playing this IPL because I certainly love every moment I've spent there since it started," said Watson. 

"But as I have said, we (RR) have been kicked out before so you never know how things will pan out but we are on the right side again, thank God. I've always been confident things will work out well in the end, which it seems to have worked out that way," he added.

'Yuvraj was always going to take a bit of time to get going'

Image: Yuvraj Singh in action during the match against Australia
Photographs: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Since Australia are already out of the tournament, topics like IPL and Yuvraj Singh dominated the discussions more than their match against Bangladesh. 

"Yuvraj was always going to take a bit of time to get going. He obviously hadn't scored any runs in the first couple of games but I've seen Yuvraj take us apart at certain times since I was 18 (referring to the 2000 U-19 World Cup)," said Watson.

"Playing against Yuvraj, when he is on, he hits the ball in all different spots. He gave himself a bit of time to get in and then picked his bowlers to be able to take on," he added referring to Yuvraj's 43-ball 60-run innings which gave India a huge 73-run victory.

'Yuvraj batting well is a huge confidence-builder for the Indian team'

Image: Yuvraj Singh in action against Australia at the World T20
Photographs: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Watson feels when Yuvraj is counter-attacking, he is at his best and the innings against Australia will give him a lot of confidence boost.

"There's no doubt when Yuvraj is taking on the bowlers, it is certainly when he is at his absolute best," the allrounder said. 

"Ya, there's no doubt it is going to be a huge confidence-builder for the Indian team itself as well as Yuvraj. He is batting well for the Indian team certainly makes them a great team because they have got a very good opening combination and him in the middle-order, we've seen what he
has done in the World Cup previously as well." 

On the Bangladesh game, Watson said that he wants to do well personally as well as a team. 

"I have been nowhere near my best in the tournament. I have probably scored five runs or so. May be I have taken more wickets than the number of runs that I have scored," he said.