Shane Watson : The Royal Gladiator - Mandakini
Friday, August 06, 2010 11:41:52 AM
Cricket is of dubious nature. Uncertainties enclose you, making it completely impossible to decipher when and how tough times will come as a hurricane wiping away all your dreams. At times it is injuries, at times indiscipline and poor performance and sometimes luck stands as a barrier to which players could succumb. A comeback after facing these lethal barriers and setbacks is never easy. But there is one player, SHANE WATSON, who has seen it all and has remarkably conquered them all. Commitment and conviction towards the game helped him make a superstar comeback in international cricket.
Since his debut in 2002, he has been popping in and out of the international team having been marred by a spree of injuries, which subsequently hindered his performance, thus opening doors for other players to represent Australia. At one point it appeared as if the playing XI for Australia would never showcase his name. But his stunningly spectacular performance, both ? with the bat and ball, in the 2006 Champions Trophy not only helped Australia win the title but also caught the attention of selectors and the Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting. But his cruel fate again showed no mercy and forced him to stay away from the game, imposing on him his stay out of the World Cup for the second consecutive time.
Watson's stint as the mainstay of the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2008 saw many eye balls oozing out admiration, as he played flawless cricket and ripped the heart out of his opponents by scoring four half-centuries and taking 17 wickets. He not only contributed heavily in Rajasthan Royals' win in the inaugural IPL season but also claimed the tag of Man of the Series. Luck started drifting into his direction, or rather it was his time to dictate the terms of his life and live his passion for cricket. This was his thumping comeback and since then he has played the role of a nucleus in the Australian side.
Watson was again seen playing a crucial role in the 2009 Champions Trophy, hitting two consecutive centuries against England and New Zealand in the semi-finals and finals respectively, thus playing a major role in helping Australia take home the title again. He is now a regular player in the side with tremendous ability to smack the ball in all directions and to annihilate a good batting line-up with his magical arm. After his four one day tons, his maiden test hundred came in a melodramatic fashion in 2009 at MCG during the third Boxing Day test match, when he finally broke the jinx of getting out when nearing the nineties, as he ran for a single from a dropped catch. From 93 to 97, and then finally the jittery ride of nineties ended with a flamboyant 120. The name - SHANE WATSON, is now engraved on top of the squad in all the three formats of the game.
Winner of the prestigious Allan Border Medal 2010, Shane Watson plays a critical role as an opening batsmen and a fifth bowler for Australia. He's the best all-rounder Australia has ever produced and a very special cricketer with rock solid determination and with a hard-to-find ability to rise from the ashes. He's a modern day cricketer, who not only possesses looks and a fine physique to flaunt, but also immense talent to woo cricket lovers all around the world. We all love you WATTO and are very proud to have a marvel like you in Rajasthan Royals!