Shane Watson Grateful To MS Dhoni And Stephen Fleming For Not Dropping Him In 2019 IPL Despite A Rough Patch

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson retired from all forms of cricket after the 2020 season of Indian Premier League (IPL). Shane Watson, who was one of the greatest all-rounders in T20 cricket, could not replicate his exploits from 2018 and 2019 IPL editions, scoring only 299 runs in 11 games with two half-centuries. But the veteran did not fail to thank MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for keeping faith in him last year despite a poor run.

Shane Watson came into the Super Kings set-up in 2018 after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore. He flourished that year, mustering 555 runs while opening the innings, including a hundred in the final as the yellow army lifted the title for the third time. However, there were a string of low scores next year. Despite that, skipper Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming stuck by him. Watson scored a valiant 80 in the final against Mumbai Indians; unfortunately, he could not guide his side to the title.

Shane Watson felt lucky to have got the nod despite going ten games without runs, thanking MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for backing him. The swashbuckler believed that nothing could stop him at that point, feeling good to go.

“That you go 10 games without scoring runs and still get picked (laughs). Last season, thank you MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for keeping the faith. That was phenomenal and made me feel that good to go, a bit a block would not stop me,” Watson stated as quoted by India Today.

Shane Watson hails Chennai Super Kings’ fans back in India:

Watson mainly observed the fans in India and the billion supporters of the Super Kings not only in Chennai but also the entire nation. He says that it is an incredible thing to be a part of it and not many places where it happens. The 39-year old began his IPL career in 2008 with the Rajasthan Royals when not only his team won the competition but also he received the player of the tournament award for scoring 472 runs and picking up 17 wickets.

“It’s seems like there must be a billion people living in Chennai because there seems to be like billion CSK supporters. Even travelling in other parts of India was like half of the stadium was full of CSK fans, which is an incredible part to be part of. There are not many things where this happens at all,” he added.

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