Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne has been named captain and coach of the Rajasthan Royals from Jaipur in the multi million-dollar Indian Premier League.

Warne retired from international cricket in January last year after taking 708 wickets in 145 tests, but continues to play for Hampshire in the county championship.

"I'm looking forward to leading the Rajasthan Royals, to playing with the boys and to a successful season," Warne said.

The 44-day IPL Twenty20 league, featuring many of the top names in international cricket, gets underway on April 18.

"Shane has been a winner throughout his career and has made it clear that he is coming to India to make the Rajasthan Royals win," Emerging Media, owners of the franchise, stated.

With the dates overlapping with the start of the county season, Hampshire have announced New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond as Warne's cover for the first part of the season.

Jaipur, one of eight franchises in the inaugural competition, paid $450,000 for Warne, 38, at the IPL players' auction this month.

The other franchises are Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Mohali, Hyderabad and Chennai, which have been bought by the some of the country's rich and the famous.

Warne will lead a team that includes South Africa captain Graeme Smith and Pakistan batsman Younis Khan.

Former South Africa captain Kepler Wessels has also joined the IPL. He has been appointed coach by the Chennai franchise.

Reuters