IPL 8: With Shane Watson back, Rajasthan Royals get their balance right

It’s no secret that the fourth foreign pick is one of the most vital components of selection in the Indian Premier League – and it gets slightly harder to manage if the captain of the team is an overseas player. So when Shane Watson returned for Rajasthan Royals (against Chennai Super Kings) – there was intrigue as to who would be dropped. Chris Morris… maybe? He’s not as celebrated a name as James Faulkner, Steve Smith or Tim Southee. However, it was Kiwi pacer Southee who was dropped – and while it was a bold decision, it was the right one. Southee hasn’t had the best of tournaments so far. In four matches, he has taken just three wickets – he has given away 148 runs in 16 overs. His strike rate is 32.0, his economy rate is 9.25 and average is 49.33 – these are bad numbers for a bowler of his caliber. In response, Morris has taken a wicket more at a better average (33.0) and a better strike rate (28.5). He has also scored 12 runs more than Southee. [caption id=“attachment_2203066” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Southee hasn’t had the best of tournaments so far. BCCI[/caption] The decision paid off brilliantly for the Royals. They kept a mighty CSK batting lineup at bay without their strike bowler (156-4 in 20 overs) and chased the target down with 10 balls remaining and the loss of only two wickets. It will now be harder for Southee to break into the team – his replacement is the captain, who will most certainly play whenever fit, and also justified his automatic selection with a brilliant innings of 73 runs (47b, 6x4, 4x6) made out of some classy strokes and a couple of slogs over the field. Southee’s issue in the IPL will be inconsistency and the lack of conducive conditions. Even last year he managed to play only three matches and didn’t do exceedingly well – which may not mean that he’s a bad bowler – but he is an unproven commodity in the IPL – where there are few chances to prove oneself. Morris also has the added advantage of being a better batsman than Southee. He has also managed to generate pace and bounce in Indian conditions, and this ability can immediately make one overseas bowler more valuable than another. While Southee has crumbled under pressure in big matches – Morris displays a calm demeanor and gets about his job without fuss. Against CSK, he bowled four overs for just 19 runs and also took the important wicket of Suresh Raina. Against Mumbai Indians, when Southee was hit for 46 runs in four overs – Morris gave away 12 runs fewer and dismissed Corey Anderson (50). Against Kings XI Punjab, he went for just 21 runs to Southee’s 36 – and that sort of economy rate is gold in T20 cricket. Having Watson in the side provides excellent balance to the Royals’ XI. Watson got hit for a few, but he was just making his way back into the team. Steve Smith had said that it would be a challenge to incorporate Watson and find the right balance in the side – but a win against one of the best sides in IPL history is just the right way to induct their captain.