As David Warner was forced to sit out of the last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) because of a one-year ban on him following sandpaper gate in South Africa last year, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had handed over the captaincy responsibilities to Kane Williamson.
Now, the Aussie opener is back in the SRH squad for the 12th edition of the tournament but VVS Laxman, who is the mentor of Sunrisers, has said that the team will continue with last year’s set up.
“Kane is an outstanding batsman and also a highly respected international player. He has stepped in for us last year and has shown good leadership qualities,” Laxman was quoted as saying by Times of India (TOI). The former Hyderabad batsman also added that the presence of players like Warner, Shakib Al Hasan and Manish Pandey, all of whom have captaincy experiences at some level, gives Sunrisers a sense of satisfaction about the leadership.
Laxman, who believes the extent of punishment handed to Warner was harsh, said that Sunrisers are proud of the Australian’s achievements. “Personally, I felt the punishment was not right since I have seen him from close quarters. I am sure that he would continue to contribute for Sunrisers,” he added.
Therefore, Kane Williamson, who led the Orange Army successfully last year both as a captain and batsman after Warner was sidelined, will continue to be the skipper with seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar standing as his deputy.
The SRH begins their IPL 2019 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders, who they defeated in the qualifier last year to reach the finals, at the Eden Gardens on March 24.
