David Warner is arguably one of the finest cricketers in the world and hence to be axed as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad – came as a shock to many. Not only was he axed as the skipper, but was also dropped from the playing XI which sparked speculations that it could be the end of the road for the premier Australian batsman at SRH.
All that aside, Warner is one of the leading run-getters in the history of the IPL with 5447 runs to his name in 158 games. The runs came at the top of the order as he scored at a staggering strike rate of 140+. Time and again he won games for the Hyderabad franchise and hence there was a massive backlash when the SRH management decided to do without him.
With the mega-auction schedule for 2022, Warner could be up for grabs, and if that happens, which are the teams that could eye his services.
Kolkata Knight Riders: The consistent and explosive Warner would be an asset for the Kolkata outfit who lack experience and consistency at the top of the order. Shubman Gill – hailed as the future of Indian cricket – could not get among the runs in the seven games he played in. The other opener, Nitish Rana -got a couple of starts – but the consistency was missing. Warner will bring that and much more to the table for the Kolkata outfit. Certainly, KKR would have their eyes set on him if he enters the auction pool.
Rajasthan Royals: Despite being the inaugural IPL champions, the one problem that has lingered with the Royals over the years is the inconsistency. They have blown hot and cold on occasions and not lived up to the potential. This year was different as they had multiple players pulling out of the tournament – either due to Covid or injury. Eventually, they were left with merely four overseas players at one point in time. Warner would not just bolster their batting, but also his mere presence in the dugout would boost the morale of the side, which is fairly young.