While Shane Watson has expressed confidence in being fit for the home game against Chennai Super Kings here on Sunday, his younger Australian colleague Steve Smith is having a golden run as captain for the Rajasthan Royals.
Smith led the Royal Blues to a win against Delhi Daredevils last year, and has extended the winning streak to five, notching four straight wins this season against Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The Royals management made Smith captain once it became known that Watson — man of the tournament in the inaugural edition in 2008 — would not be available because of a hip injury.
“I got hit around the hip during the first training session of the tournament, and it has taken a bit of time to recover. It is going to be touch and go for the next game. I will surely be back in the team for our game here against the Chennai Super Kings,” Watson had said before going to Visakhapatnam for the game against Sunrisers.
Four Royals captains have notched four straight wins in the IPL, and Smith’s predecessors include, Shane Warne (2010), Watson (2014) and Rahul Dravid (2013). Saturday’s training session will provide sufficient hints of Watson’s availability for the match against CSK; the Royal Blues have an inferior record against CSK, winning five and losing 10.
Smith has lost one match as captain; he led the Pune Warriors against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012 and lost at the Gahunje Village Stadium.
