I have grown as a player and leader: Shane Watson

CHENNAI: Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Watson has led his team from the front in IPL 7. The Australian all-rounder has 227 runs and seven scalps -including a hat-trick against Sunrisers Hyderabad -from 10 matches.
The 32-year-old spoke to TOI on his side's campaign, his passion for music and how he prepared for the gig at the opening ceremony.
Excerpts...
How do view Rajasthan's campaign so far?
Our campaign has been extremely successful and the wins have been good.To see guys like Karun Nair, Sanju Samson and Pravin Tambe come out and perform has been very heartening. Their performances speak volumes of the talent India has. This season has also been special because I was made the captain and by working with mentor Rahul Dravid and coach Paddy Upton, I have grown as a player and leader.
How important is it for a leader to take responsibility for losses, like you did against Chennai Super Kings?
In the match against Chennai (in the UAE leg), being a senior player I should have stayed at the crease and ensured that the team crossed the finishing line. I will always put my hand up and admit it whenever there is an error on my part. That's the way I am.
Royals continue to maximize the potential of local talent...
It's our selection process. We have always had great people such as Zubin Bharucha playing a part in scouting incredible talent. Also, Paddy and Rahul have been successful in getting the best out of everyone.
The team seems to have recovered well from last year's spot-fixing controversy. What was your message to the team in your first meeting?
The most important message was to learn from our mistakes and continue to get better as individuals. Things didn't go well last season and it was time for us to learn from what happened last year.
Talk us through your music session before the performance at the IPL 7 opening ceremony?
It was a bit nerve-wrecking as I was trying to learn a few words in Hindi. I played the song 'Stand by me' which is one of my favourites. The reception I got was very warm.
Who is your favourite singer, and how often do you practice on tour?
Keith Urban, an Australian country singer now based out of the US, is one of my favourites. I do take time off to practice and learn new songs during tour or whenever I am home. I have performed a few times at different events in Australia be fore. I was fortunate to be able to sing a song on stage during the last Ashes (in England) at Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles initially started. The first time I did a gig was with Brett Lee and Jimmy Barnes, one of Australia's legendary rock singers.