"We will obviously dedicate it to Shane Warne" - Ravindra Jadeja pays tribute to late legend ahead of his stint with RR in IPL 2026

Star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has paid tribute to late Shane Warne as he gears up for his second stint with the Rajasthan Royals. The left-arm spinner said the players would dedicate the trophy to the legendary cricketer if they win IPL 2026.

Warne, who died due to cardiac arrest in March 2022, inspired the Royals to the IPL title in 2008 when he served as both captain and coach. The Aussie leg-spinner had served as the skipper until the 2011 season, and also mentored the side in the 2018 edition.

Speaking in a video shared by the Royals on YouTube, the 36-year-old said he would miss Warne as he returns to the franchise after 2009. Jadeja feels he wouldn't have been where he is today without Warne's support. He said:

"Definitely. I got a chance to play for Rajasthan Royals again and we are performing well. If we win the trophy, we will obviously dedicate it to Shane Warne. His role at the beginning of my journey was very important. He gave me an opportunity at that time. If he hadn’t given me the opportunity, then the picture wouldn’t have grown this much. As a team, we will dedicate the trophy to him if we do well in this season."

Reflecting on his bond with the former spinner, Jadeja said he also had interactions with Warne when he turned broadcaster and got tips on how to improve his game. He added:

"Even when I wasn’t in Rajasthan, I went to play for India in Australia. I went to England and he would come to commentate. So, I would meet him and talk to him then. He always supported me and told me what improvements I needed to bring into my game. How to raise and improve it. He always supported me."

Warne, the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 708, played a central role with the ball in Royals' title victory in 2008. The late cricketer finished the tournament as the second-highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps in 15 innings as they defeated the Chennai Super Kings in the final.

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"I didn’t know what to talk to him about" - Ravindra Jadeja on first meeting Shane Warne

Ravindra Jadeja. (Image Credits: Getty)

The all-rounder also reflected on why Warner possibly gave him the nickname 'Rockstar'.Jadeja believes his relaxed attitude was the reason, adding:

"It was new for me too. I didn’t have much of an idea about IPL what it was like that foreign players would come to India to play, play T20 and share the dressing room. I was only 19 then, so I didn’t know much about how cricket works. I had never played with foreign players before. It was the first time and Shane Warne was a legend then. "The world knew who Shane Warne was. I met him for the first time and I didn’t know what to talk to him about. I was in my own world, completely chill and relaxed. That was my nature when I was playing U-19. Based on that, I think he gave me the name ‘Rockstar’ believing that I could play for India for a long time in the future."

The Royals will hope to go deep in IPL 2026 after a forgettable campaign in 2025.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava