Jump to content

Shane Watson's journey: From Bangalore reject to Chennai Superhero


Switchblade

Recommended Posts

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl/top-stories/shane-watsons-journey-from-bangalore-reject-to-chennai-superhero/articleshow/64363030.cms

CHENNAI: For much of the last two years, Shane Watson must have been consumed by oodles of doubt whether he still has it in him in the cut-throat surroundings of the IPL. Towards the end of a disastrous season for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last year, the Australian allrounder had himself admitted that he'd had his worst IPLever and wasn't entirely sure what the future held. Having managed just 71 runs in eight matches at a paltry average of 11.83 in 2017 and 179 runs at 13.76 the year before that, Watson's sentiments were completely understandable at the time.All of that, though, seems a distant memory now. Having finished fifth in the run-getters list with 555 runs including a match-winning 117* in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, Watson has shown that there is still plenty of cricket left in him. Ten years ago, Watson's heroics for Rajasthan Royals in their title-winning season had revived the 36-year-old's international career. As CSK reflect on their latest triumph, Watson's efforts this season might just help him prolong his career as a T20 globetrotter.

While Watson can now heave a sigh of relief, the last one year must not have been easy. For a cricketer who had spent the last decade dominating the IPL as well as international attacks around the world, the steep decline in form over the last couple of years must have been a bitter pill to swallow.

"It's just been a special season. To get an opportunity after my previous year at RCB was incredible. The support I have got from CSK to be able to contribute at the top has been amazing," he said after the final on Sunday.

Watson certainly has to be lauded for the effort he has put in to still win matches single-handedly at this stage of career, but CSK deserve their share of credit as well. At the IPL auction in January, it was CSK who started the bidding at Rs 1 crore and sustained it till the very end. And then, they optimised Watson's strengths by making him bat at the top of the order against the hard new ball instead of shoving him lower down.

 

As CSK coach Stephen Fleming said on the team's return to Chennai on Monday, there was complete conviction on their part of Watson's destructive ability. The Big Bash League, where Watson scored 331 runs for Sydney Thunder, certainly played a part in their decision while his good form in the Pakistan Super League (319 runs) just leading up to the IPL must have done the Aussie's confidence a world of good

"Our CEO, Kasi Viswanathan, was very fond of Shane. He looks quiet, but he has got some very strong opinions. To add to that, we loved what Shane has done in the past. Our discussion was around his future and we had seen during the Big Bash that his form had returned. We have always liked players that are multi-talented. Shane has hurt CSK a number of times while playing for Rajasthan. We wanted to get him in our side than play against him again. He has been incredibly professional. He has even exceeded my expectations of how professional he is. He realises he has got some limitations, but he was ably managed and looked after himself well. MS Dhoni also looked after him. In the end, we didn't need his bowling. He just became a power hitter for us at the top," Fleming observed.

It will only get harder for Watson from here on given that he will turn 37 in a few weeks' time. But as CSK have shown time and again, they have a knack of getting the best out of their players and could do it in the coming season too.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Big Bash 2017 was a turning point in his franchisee career. He batted well in Big Bash , although he did not bowl much. Had a very good tourney as batsman. 

 

After that he had a more successful PSL. Scored runs as well as picked wickets.

 

Most centuries in IPL 2018. Good number of wickets and fielded reliably as well. Don't think he dropped even a single catch. More importantly he also managed to stay fit. Think he was rested for just one match, the result of which was not important as CSK had already qualified into play-offs. 

 

Credit to him for fighting back and playing consistently in last 3 T20 tourneys he played. :bow:

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Vilander said:

Phenominal hitting today. Esp over against Sandeep.

 

An other player who is rejected by a franchaise being backed and coming good. Amazing.

Rat's impatient mentality with batsmen has not allowed any players to play with any degree of confidence. Hetmyer would have been a destructive option with any other team. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

Rat's impatient mentality with batsmen has not allowed any players to play with any degree of confidence. Hetmyer would have been a destructive option with any other team. 

you should check Watsons post-match, it has got some interesting info. Seems CSK team composition and team dynamics is pretty much left with captain and coach and no real management intervention into it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Vilander said:

you should check Watsons post-match, it has got some interesting info. Seems CSK team composition and team dynamics is pretty much left with captain and coach and no real management intervention into it. 

thats how it shud be , knowing that other owners still refuses to follow it . Gambhir n sehwag who have been very vocal about how CSK lets the TM run the cricket is the best thing 

Edited by Ankit_sharma03
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

 

 

thats why no youngsters has developed under kohli unless he himself was so good enough, even a pro like watson needs backing them imagine the security a youngsters needs

Guys like Hetmyer or Dubey will flourish under different franchise incredible that they spent so much on them only to play them in 2-3 games.. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

thats how it shud be , knowing that other owners still refuses to follow it . Gambhir n sehwag who have been very vocal about how CSK lets the TM run the cricket is the best thing 

the thing is this is where CSK, RR and to a certain degree MI stand out. CSK because of the fact that they are a very experienced cricket managing organization and MI because of obvious brainpower behind the Team management have what some of the other franchises don't. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

 

 

thats why no youngsters has developed under kohli unless he himself was so good enough, even a pro like watson needs backing them imagine the security a youngsters needs

he wasnt dropped because CSk was winning.  Teams losing will always chop and change combinations. if CSK was losing like RCB, he would have been dropped as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, rkt.india said:

he wasnt dropped because CSk was winning.  Teams losing will always chop and change combinations. if CSK was losing like RCB, he would have been dropped as well.

CSK just lost 2 games and most in top order wasnt in form ........ most franchises wud have thought of dropping a player . 

It took only one odi loss in england to drop KL rahul last yr and i think i SL also after one loss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

CSK just lost 2 games and most in top order wasnt in form ........ most franchises wud have thought of dropping a player . 

It took only one odi loss in england to drop KL rahul last yr and i think i SL also after one loss

 

Rahul isnt an established player.  Had CSK lost 3-4 games on the trot with Watson doing poorly, he would have been replaced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

he wasnt dropped because CSk was winning.  Teams losing will always chop and change combinations. if CSK was losing like RCB, he would have been dropped as well.

The reason CSK don’t and RCB keeps losing is cos of constant chopping . Virat will drop a youngster after one bad day . 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rkt.india said:

he wasnt dropped because CSk was winning.  Teams losing will always chop and change combinations. if CSK was losing like RCB, he would have been dropped as well.

he was not performing through the losses two of them and a few close wins before as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, flamy said:

They have taken good care of ABD. Disappointing about Gayle though. Although he hasn't done much anything with other teams that different

Gayle has definitely performed much better for Punjab after RCB released him. Their is a considerable difference in runs he has scored for RCB as against runs he scored for Punjab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, flamy said:

They have taken good care of ABD. Disappointing about Gayle though. Although he hasn't done much anything with other teams that different

they did take care of gayle to, gayle slipped in those years due to his own form only

 

Kohli has been good with few seniors as he has given them role n security which doesnt happen with others. Its simple when in new job u dnt knw what ur suppose to do and u dnt how long will u keep ur job .....u knw what the perfomance wud be like 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...