The IPL retentions, ahead of the big auction, have led to criticism as the teams decided to let go of many big names. One of the biggest letdowns for fans was SunRisers Hyderabad releasing David Warner who led the team to IPL glory in 2016. The explosive Australian opener is in top form and was declared the Player of the Tournament at the ICC T20 World Cup.
The eight franchises were eligible to retain up to four players with a maximum of three Indians, two overseas players and two uncapped Indians.
Warner is the top scorer for Hyderabad with 4,014 runs in 95 matches, could not make the retention list. SRH kept only Kane Williamson as their lone overseas player, with uncapped Indians Abdul Samad and Umran Malik filling the other two spots.
SRH have been severely criticised for their handling of Warner, who had been the face of the franchise and the leading performer for many seasons. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, however, has defended SunRisers Hyerabad’s move. Irfan reminded everybody that SRH stood by Warner even when Australia had banned him after the infamous ball-tampering incident in 2018.
He wrote: “People who are questioning a franchise decision about a foreign player should also remember that the same franchise supported him when his own country banned him from playing!"
Ppl who is questioning a franchise decision about a foreign player should also remember that the same franchise supported him when his own country banned him to play!— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 2, 2021
Things haven’t been going well between Warner and SRH for some time now. He missed out on several games in the first leg of IPL 2021, and was then stripped off the captaincy mid-season.
Even Warner’s social media posts throughout the second leg of the tournament suggested that all was not well between the player and the management. It remains to be seen where Warner will ply his trade in the next season of the IPL.
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