NEW DELHI: Australia captain Steve Smith will lead the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 Indian Premier League season, the club announced on Saturday.
Smith will join Australian spin legend Shane Warne, who was announced as the team’s mentor earlier this year.
The eight teams in the cash-rich IPL — boosted recently by a new five-year $2.5-billion media deal — spent almost $70 million at an auction for players ahead of the Twenty20 tournament, which runs from April 7 to May 27.
“We came to the conclusion that Steve Smith would be the ideal candidate for the job,” Zubin Bharucha, Rajasthan Royals’ head of cricket, said Saturday.
“Smith has been incredible as captain of Australia. He is someone who leads the team by example.”
The Australian skipper, in a statement released by the club, said he was looking forward to leading the team.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be leading (the) Royals and I’m looking forward to working with the King (Shane Warne),” Smith said.
In 2008, Warne captained the Royals to victory in the inaugural season of what is now the world’s most watched domestic T20 league.
The Royals, along with the Chennai Super Kings, were banned for two IPL seasons over an illegal gambling scandal.
They have put together a strong squad ahead of their return for the 2018 season, bagging top names like England allrounder Ben Stokes at the player auction last month.
Australia captain Steve Smith to lead IPL’s Rajasthan Royals
Australia captain Steve Smith to lead IPL’s Rajasthan Royals
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
