Jos Buttler's sensational and record-breaking century on Friday night at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad helped Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets in the Qualifier 2 tie to reach the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) final, where they will be up against Gujarat Titans. However, the final has an emotional connect, as the batch of 2022 will try to emulate Rajasthan Royals fairytale of the inaugural IPL season which was helmed by Shane Warne. The Royals who hold a deep connect with Warne first as captain and then as mentor weren't on the same page before the start of the season in 2008.
Shane Warne had threatened a walk out over squad selection differences with owner Manoj Badale.In his autobiography No Spin, Warne, without identifying the player, writes about him putting his foot down over Badale’s demand/request of making that one change to the squad of 16. The prickly conversation between the two decision-makers had taken place after Warne, along with coaches and senior players, had pruned the list of 50 players.At the 10-day long team trials, the Aussie great had been impressed by Indian uncapped players like Ravindra Jadeja and Swapnil Asnodkar but the player, who he refers to as Asif, wasn’t up to the mark. Badale, based on statistics, pressed for Asif’s inclusion and that’s when Warne gave the ultimatum. His argument was simple, he had been fair in assessing the players at the trial and by including a lesser player he would lose the respect of the dressing room.“If I put Asif in that group, they’ll know he’s not good enough and that he’s there because of some hidden favouritism. At that point, I’ll lose them. So if you want Asif in the squad, that’s fine, but I’ll give you your money back – I don’t want to be part of it.’ ‘Are you serious?’ asked Manoj (Badale). ‘I’m deadly serious,’ I said. ‘Let me sleep on it.’.”The next day the RR owner came up with a compromise formula. Badale was fine with Asif not being included in the squad of 16 but he wanted the player to be in the dugout wearing the team shirt. No, not on Warne’s watch.“‘No, the area is too small for all of us as it is, and, anyway, I don’t want him just sitting there, because again it looks like we’re doing him a favour. So no.’ ‘Okay,’ said Manoj.” The matter was closed, Warne got the team he wanted and the owner-captain earned each other’s respect. This was the first time since 2008 Rajasthan Royals finished in the top-2 in the league stage of an IPL season and for the first time since the inaugural season have the franchise reached the final. The famous 2008 team was led by Warne, who passed away earlier this year.
