SunRisers Hyderabad on Saturday removed under-performing David Warner from captaincy and handed over the reins of the team to New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson for the remainder of the Indian Premier League.
The change was announced ahead of the team’s match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.
Under Warner, SRH have lost five of their six games as the Australian hasn’t been in the best of form with the bat in the ongoing edition. In his six innings, Warner scored 3, 54, 36, 37, 6 and 57.
The team’s statement further indicated that Warner could be dropped from their playing XI, saying they are planning to change their overseas combination. The Australian had lead the team to the IPL title in 2016
The franchise’s decision was met with mixed feelings by cricket fans on Twitter, with many saying that Warner has been treated unfairly by the team management. However, some believed that ebing relieved of captaincy will give him the chance to bat more freely.
David Warner, the batsman, hasn’t fully recovered from his groin injury. That was known to all, right? I’d assumed. Anyway.
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) May 1, 2021
Warner could’ve been rested and Kane could’ve been a stand-in captain. Don’t support removal of a captain who has served so well for so long. That’s all.
I hope this decision by @SunRisers releases the batsman in David Warner. He has looked a little subdued and weighed under at times and #SRH would want to see the dominant matchwinner in him again
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 1, 2021
What the actual hell #SRH?
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) May 1, 2021
Disband that management rather than Warner. Been making some ridiculously poor calls for two seasons now and paying the price.#SRH #IPL2021
David Warner changed #SRH with his aggressive batting and captaincy including winning IPL 2016 - in few season, he was just one man army in batting unit. One of the greats in the league end his captaincy in the team.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 1, 2021
Singlehandedly carried his team for 7 years, now out of the team after 7 matches. This is how you repay him? @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/w95xMOpcwD
— \ (@18inarow) May 1, 2021
From what I have learnt, choice of words makes a huge difference. The tone you set when you write something makes a huge impact on the readers and that's the way you choose to communicate with them.
— Urvi Shah (@unikurvi) May 1, 2021
Totally surprised and upset with the SRH press release. #SRH
The press release felt like
— Prashanth (@ps_it_is) May 1, 2021
We are sacking Warner
He might be dropped too
We expect him to help us too
Congrats to SRH on dropping their best ever player after a few poor games, hope it goes well for them.
— Kieran (@BerbaSpinCric) May 1, 2021
End of an era with Warner at Sunrisers. #IPL2021 https://t.co/tqlrCpXAVh
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) May 1, 2021
Carried the team for years, the most consistent OS captain, one of the most prolific overseas players in the league, scored truckloads of runs and danced his ass off on Butta Bomma. Warner is more Hyderabadi than Australian. Horrible call, @SunRisers.
— Manya (@CSKian716) May 1, 2021
Glad Kane Williamson has been made captain. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
— Aditya (@forwardshortleg) May 1, 2021
Warner's lack of form with the bat was impacting his decision making abilities as captain.
Had asked for this move to be made after the horror show vs CSK. https://t.co/jnw8WTwirU https://t.co/jVD9TmYAIc
Hopefully David Warner continues to be in the XI for #SRH. He's one of the consistent batters for the last some years for them. Go well, Kane Williamson, with the captaincy. #IPL2021
— S. Sudarshanan (@Sudarshanan7) May 1, 2021
Kane Williamson takes over as the captain of #SRH for the remainder of the #IPL2021 season.
— Siddarth Srinivas (@sidhuwrites) May 1, 2021
Good decision if Warner is gonna continue at the top and play freely. Bad if they're gonna drop him & replace him with people like Roy.
"Will be changing their overseas combination" 🧐 https://t.co/rvzwapfqR5
David Warner is 34.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) May 1, 2021
Loves Batting in #Yellove
Next auction, if you know what I mean. @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/Ra5ip3iy5k
Get Warner, @VenkyMysore
— Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) May 1, 2021
Kane Williamson in 2021
— Arnav Singh (@Arnavv43) May 1, 2021
World no 1 batsman in Tests
Helps NZ get to no 1 in Test rankings
Leads NZ to World Test Championship Final
Replaces David Warner as SRH captain #Williamson#SunrisersHyderabad pic.twitter.com/AT4KnrPTnk