Sunrisers Hyderabad opener David Warner is having a great time in the ongoing Indian Premier League. The swashbuckling left-hander is the current owner of the Orange Cap, with 264 runs to his name from four innings including a 55-ball ton against RCB.
Apart from the attacking batting, the highlight of Warner’s stellar show has been his camaraderie at the top of the order with England’s Jonny Bairstow. The duo has aggregated 100+ partnerships in three of the four matches thus far. Their 185-run stand against RCB was the highest opening partnership in the history of IPL.
With three wins from four games, Warner’s team is currently placed at the pinnacle of the points table. SRH will take on Mumbai Indians in their fifth match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday (April 6).
Ahead of the much-awaited encounter, Sunrisers batsman Yusuf Pathan reflected on Warner’s dominance in this year’s IPL – just after the culmination of the 12-month long ball-tampering suspension.
"A successful batsman is the one who comes back after a big match and scores again in the next. There is a lot of aggression inside Warner which is helping him play so well. It is reflecting in his batting even after not playing for a year he has the aggression to do well. Such aggression makes him a dangerous batsman," Pathan told PTI in an interview.
"He is focussed and determined. Watching him bat is so entertaining. It's great for us and it's a plus point for Australia to have him perform like this ahead of the World Cup," he added.
Asked about his own preparation for this IPL season, Pathan, who switched sides from KKR to SRH last year, said playing in domestic tournaments has given him adequate match practice.
"I have been competing in a lot of tournaments before heading into the IPL. Syed Mushtaq Ali, Vijay Hazare etc. There were matches the entire season so I was in the loop. I got to focus on areas I wanted to work on. Playing regularly the entire season helps with match practice, it was very advantageous," he remarked.
With three IPL titles and a T20 World Cup to his name, the 36-year-old Yusuf is banking on experience to do well.
"I try to use my experience from the 12 years I have played in the IPL. T20 is a very short format so you just have to be mentally strong, have to back the team and your game. Matches change in 1-2 overs, one minute the team is in control the other minute it can be losing so I am working to adapt quickly to the match situation and help my team," he said.
Although Yusuf Pathan is yet to bowl in IPL 2019, the off-spinner said he's been working with SRH bowling mentor Muttiah Muralitharan.
"Murali sir observes us closely during net practice. He has advised me on where my foot should be while delivering the ball, how long I should hold the ball. When you are in the game, you don't always realise what are the areas you need to work on. But he keeps on repeating it so it's engraved in my mind," Pathan asserted.
