Sunrisers Hyderabad had lost the services of their captain David Warner much before the start of the IPL 2018 because of his involvement in the ball-tampering saga in South Africa last month.
He was banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia, and BCCI decided to take the similar stance for this IPL season. However, the franchise still has plenty of match winners going into the season.
Mentor VVS Laxman had strongly backed new skipper Kane Williamson to be successful in the new season. The Kiwi cricketer had earned plaudits for the way he is leading Black Caps over the last couple of years.
“Our preparations have been excellent despite the heavy rain in Hyderabad. We came away from the auction happy with our acquisitions, which make us a stronger, well-rounded side.
“Quite obviously, the loss of David Warner in unfortunate circumstances is a big blow, that is stating the obvious, but we feel that even so, we have the resources to mount a strong challenge. Kane Williamson is a wonderful batsman and an inspirational leader, and we are confident he will ensure a seamless transition,” wrote Laxman.
Momentum Key To Success Believes Laxman
Despite losing Warner, Sunrisers team looks quite positive going into IPL 2018. They will first face Rajasthan Royals in Uppal. They have the likes of Williamson, Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan in their batting.
Their bowling looks very strong as well with the likes of Bhuvaneswar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Basil Thampi and Sandeep Sharma. However, Laxman believes the team should have momentum which will drive them forward.
“The depth in our batting and the variety in our bowling means we have the luxury of playing different combinations depending on the conditions and the opposition without having to make compromises,” he wrote.
“Twenty20 cricket is all about momentum and getting on a roll. We have two matches in our backyard before we start travelling, and as a group, we would love to get two wins under our belt so that we can carry that positive energy with us when we hit the road.”
Sunrisers are one of the well-renowned sides in the tournament. They have a well-balanced all-round side which could play a huge role in their winning chances.
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