Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday dropped David Warner both as the team’s captain and from the playing XI ahead of their match Rajasthan Royals. The decision prompted David Warner’s brother Steve Warner to take to Instagram to write a scathing post critical of Sunrisers Hyderabad management. Worse, Warner faces a potential five-year jail term if he attempts to return to Australia now that he’s been abandoned by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Taking to Instagram, Steve Warner wrote, ” Leave this here @sunrisershyd a bloke that has carried this team for years, your openers aren’t the issues how about getting a decent middle-order that scores some runs.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad lost their match against Rajasthan Royals by 55 runs. Kane Williamson was leading the side in place of David Warner.
The rift between Warner and the Hyderabad management appeared to have begun after the Aussie cricketer criticised the dropping Manish Pandey from the team earlier in the tournament.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, former New Zealand pacer and IPL commentator Simon Doull said, “I think there must have been a falling out somewhere along the lines and not with the team, there has to be a falling out with the coaching structure. After what he said in that game about leaving Manish Pandey out, it was not his decision at all, he didn’t want to do it clearly. And basically, you passed the buck, you blamed it on someone else and I think he has paid the price for that.”
Warner’s sacking has evoked angry reactions from fans on social media.
SRH has qualified for Playoffs in all seasons since 2015.
Won the trophy in 2016 ????
Should not have sacked warner just on the basis of a Few games.
Poor Decision imo ✍️#DavidWarner #SRH #OrangeArmy #KaneWilliamson pic.twitter.com/Ptq0asTUbn
— ᴍᴏʜɪᴛ???????? (@MohitRohitian) May 1, 2021
David Warner’s Stats in IPL ~
Matches – 148
Runs – 5447
Average – 42.2
Strike Rate – 140.1And #Srh first Sacked him from captaincy and now dropped him from the playing 11.
Utter Disrespect to a player of such High Stature !!#DavidWarner #Warner #SRHvsRR #RRvSRH pic.twitter.com/nPEa5Lu9E7
— ᴍᴏʜɪᴛ???????? (@MohitRohitian) May 2, 2021
Sacking David Warner as a captain and dropping him out from the playing XI is the worst ever decision made by #SRH
Virat Kohli would’ve been sacked a long time back from RCB, if losing 5 games out of 6 was the case.
Warner is a LEGEND and he does not deserve that #SRHvsRR— Vivian Viegas (@VivianViegas44) May 2, 2021
Warner had made a stunning confession in the last match after facing a one-run defeat at the hands of Chennai Super Kings. He had said, “I take full responsibility for the way I batted, it was really slow. The way Manish batted was exceptional. Kane got us to a respectable total, but I take full responsibility.”
This was after Warner took 55 balls to score just 57 runs even when the SRH were just one wicket down until the 18th over of the match.
Meanwhile, Warner can’t even return to Australia as the country has imposed a travel ban for its citizens from India in the wake of the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands of people here. Health Minister Greg Hunt had said that breaches of the ban could lead to a fine of A$66,600 ($51,000), five years imprisonment, or both. This means that even after being abandoned by the SRH, Warner can’t return to his country for the fear of being arrested.
Warner has been associated with the SRH since 2014 and had led his team to win the IPL title in 2016.