Shane Warne, The Poet

When we talk of cricket, we always visualize the graceful strides of a bowler, the exquisite stroke play of the batsman, quick as a flash stumping by the wicketkeeper and the horizontal-in-the-air dives of the fielders. To the cricket fan, these are instances of poetry in motion.

But there are some that go unnoticed. The captain's role in the game. Oh yes, we praise it, but it is not quite in the same league as the poetry-in-motion stuff that I described above. The current edition of IPL T20 has taught me otherwise.

I refer, of course, to Shane Warne's captaincy. In last night's match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, the man of the match was shared by two batsmen but the true man of the match was Shane Warne. The way he marshalled his men, the bowling changes, the encouragements, the pat on a bowler's back, his own bowling, his choice of men ... I could go on ... were a sight to behold. He is perhaps the only captain who I have seen to be visibly involved in the game. He binds the team. And if someone wishes to learn leadership qualities (more on my views on leadership, here) s/he just needs to sit watching Warne in action.

Shane Warne is the greatest captain Australia never had.