Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne shocked at axing

Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne has expressed his dismay at the news that his team has been axed from the Indian Premier League next season.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Sunday it would terminate the contracts of the inaugural IPL champions and Kings XI Punjab after reported financial irregularities.

Both sides were founding members of the popular Twenty20 tournament and Warne's sadness was obvious after he posted several messages on his Twitter account on Sunday evening.

"It's a big shock," the legendary leg-spinner posted.

Shane Warne has also been a key part of the Rajasthan story, which began with an upset victory in the first edition of the IPL, while Aaron Finch, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges were the other Australians who played for the team in 2010.

Brett Lee and Shaun Marsh were on the books of Punjab.

Watson's continued success for both Rajasthan and Australia has been due in large part to the
careful management of his body by the Queensland-based Victor Popov and also John Gloster, the Royals' Australian physio.

Rajasthan were believed to have set aside the maximum figure of $A2 million to retain Watson and so keep him out of the forthcoming IPL auction, but all that has been thrown out by the BCCI's verdict.

"I've been lucky enough to be able to come over here to India for a number of years now," Watson said. "I've been able to feel a lot more comfortable coming over here and understanding the different grounds and the different conditions here."


SHANE Warne and Shane Watson need a new cash cow after their Rajasthan Royals were kicked out of the IPL last night.

Watson demands $2m Royal ransom

SHANE Watson is on the verge of claiming a $2 million pay cheque for just six weeks of work.

Watson will flee India after the second Test to prepare for an Ashes series in which he carries an abundance of urn-winning potential.

But his name will bob up next month at the multi-million-dollar IPL auction.

Show Watson the money because the first pick for every IPL franchise is guaranteed between $US1.8 million and $US2 million.

Ricky Ponting, who was going like a train in the first innings of the Mohali Test before being run out for 71, Watson was the only specialist Australian batsman to emerge blameless from the one-wicket defeat. His four innings on tour have been 115, 104 not out, 126 and 56. He's averaging 133.6 and going like 10 trains.

"I do feel like a pretty senior player in the team now, opening the batting, bowling, hopefully filling a good role with the ball," Watson 

Watson is a supreme cricketer in a rugby player's body. His physical conditioning needs constant attention.

As well as Australia's army of staff on tour, Watson's personal trainer from the Rajasthan Royals has been working with him.

Part of the maintenance is to spare him in the limited-overs format. When Australia are playing one-dayers at Kochi, Vishakhapatnam and Goa, Watson will be back home with fellow absentees Ponting and Mitchell Johnson.

"It does feel like I've played more Tests but I've been lucky to be around the Australian squad for a long time, nearly nine years," Watson said.