Warne to mentor Rajasthan Royals' youngsters

Legendary spinner Shane Warne has been appointed mentor of Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2020 IPL besides his existing role as the team's brand ambassador.

Warne has been associated with IPL since its inception in 2008 and led the team to its only title triumph in that inaugural year.

As a 'Team Mentor', Warne will work alongside head coach Andrew McDonald. The two were teammates in Victoria from 2003-07.

"On my dual role, it's always a great feeling to be back with Royals, my team, my family. It's exciting to be working across all elements of this franchise that I love," Warne was quoted as saying in a press release.

"We have worked towards our vision of becoming a global team that fans around the world love and follow.

"This season I am looking forward to working as a Team Mentor and joining up with an excellent backroom staff in Zubin Bharucha and Andrew McDonald.  Hopefully, we can have a successful season and achieve big things in the coming months," added Warne.

Warne will be working with Royals management team to strengthen their international fanbase. He will also be campaigning for Royals' philanthropic initiatives focussed towards women empowerment with the Royal Rajasthan Foundation, the CSR arm of the franchise.

Adding on the appointment of Shane Warne, COO Jake Lush McCrum said, "He is one of the all-time greats of the game and is very special to us here at Rajasthan Royals.

"Shane is someone who exemplifies our vision of driving innovation and we're delighted to have him with us supporting both the growth of our franchise globally, while also motivating our players for success on the field."