Wade shifts focus to World Cup after 'unforgettable' IPL

Two days at home is all Matthew Wade will get following an 'unforgettable' Indian Premier League triumph as he shifts his focus to international cricket and Australia's T20 World Cup defence.

Wade became the 16th Australian overnight to win an IPL title as his Gujarat Titans downed Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in front of a world-record cricket crowd of 104,859 (the previous record was 93,013 at the MCG for the 2015 ODI World Cup final).

The 34-year-old scored eight off 10 balls to finish a "frustrating" two-month tournament for him personally, but he joins the list alongside Australian greats Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee and Matthew Hayden, just to name a few, to have won the world's best domestic T20 tournament.

Having helped Australia secure its maiden men's T20 World Cup crown last November, the wicketkeeper-batter said winning the IPL was the next best.

"It's a close to winning a World Cup as you can get," he told SEN Radio on Monday morning.

"It was a crazy atmosphere and something I'll never forget – 104,000 people, I didn't think I'd ever play in front of that many.

Image Id: 48B101C56B3349B4B8AE4606B78E70DE Image Caption: Wade launches a six in the IPL final // Sportzpics-BCCI

"(It was) a different kind of feeling to a World Cup where you've spent a few years trying to build a team to get there but this one has got all the glitz and glamour on it, and they do it differently over in India and they put on a show.

"(I was) a little bit disappointed with my tournament but as a team we've played unbelievably well, we've had four or five guys that have really got going."

Wade said he would sneak home to Hobart for two days to see his family following the IPL before he jets off to Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series in Colombo and Kandy as Australia begin their preparations for this year's T20 World Cup in what shapes as the Tasmanian's last assignment in national colours.

Wade revealed to cricket.com.au last week the home World Cup would likely be the end of his international cricket as he eyes spending more time at home with his young family.

Image Id: EE6FA25B9DBA49688E89062640317993 Image Caption: Gujarat Titans celebrate their title. Wade is far right // Sportzpics-BCCI

"I'll basically just drop my kit off then head back over to Sri Lanka, come back (home) for about a month for some time off, play (England's) Hundred for Birmingham and then seven or eight T20Is between now and the World Cup," he said.

"I don't think I'll be pushing on too far after that at international level. I'm excited for the next three or four months, it's going to be good time in my life and cricketing life, I'm going to enjoy it for sure."

When he does call time on his international career, Wade said he wants to keep playing domestic cricket for Tasmania like Tigers teammate Peter Siddle rather than becoming a fully-fledged global T20 freelancer.

He's also flagged an interest in coaching, and he is prepared to cut his playing career short if the right opportunity comes his way over the next two years.

"I really love the camaraderie of domestic cricket and playing with the same players over a longer period of time and striving for something collectively," Wade told cricket.com.au.

"I've got a young family as well, I like being at home a little bit more as well and that opportunity to do both is something that still interests me.

"That's how I feel – I'm not chasing franchise cricket so much, if it comes my way and I can play it, then I'll play it.

"If I can play them out of the Australian season then I'm probably more leaning down that path at the moment.

"The good thing about playing state cricket is you play with the same guys and then you've still got the opportunity to go to England, play IPL, you don't miss that many tournaments."

While he is coming under increasing pressure from Western Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis to hold his spot in Australia's T20 side ahead of the World Cup, Wade hopes national selectors will continue to see his versatility as an attractive option.

"I've opened for three or four years now and even in the BBL I switched back to No.3 for a little bit and obviously batting six and seven for Australia in T20s," Wade said.

"It's something I'm trying to get better and better at, I want to be someone who can be multi-positioned, maybe (if there's) a player they don't want to send in during the powerplay they can use me at international level and then slide back and bat seven later in the innings.

"I'm really comfortable in all positions, I've played long enough now to know what to do in most scenarios and it's something I'll try and master and get better at and not let a position dictate really how I play too much."

Australia fly to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, ahead of their first T20I in Colombo on June 7.

Australians who have won the IPL

2008: Shane Warne (c), Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals)

2009: Adam Gilchrist (c), Andrew Symonds, Ryan Harris (Deccan Chargers)

2010: Matthew Hayden, Doug Bollinger (Chennai Super Kings)

2011: Mike Hussey, Doug Bollinger (2nd) (Chennai Super Kings)

2012: Brett Lee (Kolkata Knight Riders)

2013: Mitchell Johnson (Mumbai Indians)

2016: David Warner (c), Moises Henriques, Ben Cutting (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

2017: Mitchell Johnson (2nd) (Mumbai Indians)

2018: Shane Watson (2nd) (Chennai Super Kings)

2020: Nathan Coulter-Nile (Mumbai Indians)

2021: Josh Hazlewood (Chennai Super Kings)

2022: Matthew Wade (Gujarat Titans)