Shane Warne no more: When spin legend defied odds to lead Rajasthan Royals to IPL glory

One of the greatest leg-spinners of all time, a flamboyant personality on and off the field and a cricketer who bamboozled top batsmen in the world. As Shane Warne is mourned by crores of cricket fans across the world, it is only fitting to relive the manner in which he defied all odds by leading Rajasthan Royals to victory in the first edition of the IPL in 2008.

In a surprising development ahead of the tournament, Warne was appointed as the captain and coach of the side despite never having represented Australia in T20 Internationals. Moreover, it was perceived as an unusual move at a time when all other 7 franchises had Indian captains. 

Road to the eliminators

Rajasthan Royals was virtually written off in the initial stages as it was the only team that did not have any top-billed Indian batter in its ranks. While the franchise suffered a massive defeat at the hands of Delhi Daredevils in the first game, it made a brilliant comeback by chasing down Kings XI Punjab's total of 166 with ease.

While Warne played a pivotal role by bagging three wickets for just 19 runs in his 4-over spell, fans witnessed the onset of another star - Ravindra Jadeja whose unbeaten 25-ball 36 helped seal the match.

The Aussie leg-spinner's heroics with the bat came to the fore in the very next game by helping his side chase down Deccan Charger's mammoth 214. Requiring 14 runs to win from the last 4 balls with pacer Pankaj Singh at the other end, Warne smacked his fellow countryman Andrew Symonds for four and two sixes in a row! In the subsequent matches of the league stage, Rajasthan Royals won all remaining games barring a loss against Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab. Thus, it topped the table by winning 11 out of 14 games.

Shane Warne - the leader prevails

Shedding memories of its earlier loss against Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals comprehensively won the semi-final by bundling out the Virender Sehwag-led side for just 87 after having put 192 runs on the board. In this game too, Warne kept it tight by scalping two wickets for 21 runs.

The IPL 2008 final proved to be a blockbuster affair with the in-form Chennai Super Kings giving the Shane Warne-led franchise a run for its money. With MS Dhoni's quickfire knock, CSK managed to rake up 163 runs and fancied its chances after getting the wicket of Yusuf Pathan in the 18th over.

Arriving at the crease with 21 required off 14 deliveries, the Rajasthan Royals skipper held his nerve along with Pakistani fast bowler Sohail Tanvir to guide his side past the finish line. Ultimately, Warne emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker for his side with 19 scalps in 15 matches at an economy rate of 7.76.

In 2011, he bid adieu to IPL playing his last game against Mumbai Indians. Even though IPL has seen many astute captains in the subsequent seasons, his inspirational leadership remains an enigma in the tournament's history and Warne has often been described as the "greatest captain that Australia never had".