A little over a year ago, Shane Watson, who was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore, was uncertain about his future as a player. The veteran all-rounder, with just 71 runs (at less than a run a ball) and five wickets from eight matches, had hoped to return to the 2018 IPL edition in a coaching capacity.
Cut to Sunday and the burly Australian emerged as the hero of the final in Chennai Super Kings’ yellow jersey with an unbeaten, match-winning century.
Those who saw Watson with RCB last year were convinced that the all-rounder wasn’t really enjoying himself in the change room.
Obviously when a team that consistently fails to live up to its expectations starts to falter yet again, team unity becomes a rare commodity. It seemed to have affected Watson a lot. Minutes after the final, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming “hoped” the change in dressing room environment had played a part in Watson’s redemption. “Well, I hope a lot. When you look at his season with RCB, he was in and out, and he batted at four,” said Fleming.
The decision to make Watson open the innings worked wonders as the 36-year-old finished as the fifth-highest run-getter of the series. His 555 runs at a strike rate of 154.59 included two fifties and two hundreds.
Fleming convinced
Fleming said having watched Watson during Australia’s Big Bash League convinced him to keep faith in the veteran’s ability. “I watched him closely at the Big Bash and there were signs that he was in good form. Certainly every team that I came up against, he seemed in good form and so the best way to get rid of him was to buy him,” said Fleming.
“I had no doubt he was going to make an impact. Fitness was an issue as it is a long tournament but he is more professional than even I thought.
“He is a bit broken now. Bowling, we didn’t have to use him much but he has got through with one of his greatest performances.”
For playing a huge role in Rajasthan Royals’ victorious campaign in 2008, he was rewarded with the Player of the Series award.
He had received the award after having beaten Super Kings in the final. Ten years hence, he was on the dais in a CSK jersey, getting the man-of-the-match award for the final. For some, life does come a full circle!
