Ahead of this season, Shane Watson wasn’t sure about figuring in IPL-11 as a player.
He was already 36, the runs and the wickets were drying up. Many said the big Australian was past his prime.
But then, as in the case of a certain Chris Gayle, age is only a number.
Watson was not only picked by Chennai Super Kings at the auction but saw the team-management give him his favourite job of opening the innings.
And Watson’s pulsating innings of 106 for CSK against his old team Rajasthan Royals here on Friday settled the issue. He has been crafty with his seamers too.
A beaming Watson said later, “To have the responsibility and the opportunity to open the batting, where I have had my successes throughout my career and to be able to bowl the overs that MS [Dhoni] has given me, I have worked hard on different aspects of my bowling, I’ve got the skill set, I am enjoying every minute of it.”
The IPL has been the tournament of destiny for Watson. Strong all-round performances for Royals in the inaugural edition in 2008 saw him force his way into the Australian team.
And now in the last stretch of his career, the competition has given him a second wind. “CSK is a great franchise and even when I was with Rajasthan Royals I used to admire things that Super Kings did. Dhoni is so calm.”
This game-changer is high on belief and that’s not good news for the opposition.
Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 204 for five in 20 overs (S.R. Watson 106, S. Raina 46, Gopal three for 20) bt Rajasthan Royals 140 in 18.3 overs (J. Buttler 22. B. Stokes 45) .
