IPL 2019: Tom Moody shares update on Kane Williamson’s fitness ahead of SRH’s clash with DC

Williamson has featured in only one match of this year's IPL.

Kane Williamson during a practice session in Hyderabad on Saturday | IANS

Ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Sunday’s clash with Delhi Capitals at home, head coach Tom Moody has confirmed that the regular skipper Kane Williamson is fully fit and a foreign player ought to make way for the Kiwi batting great.

SRH has won three of their six matches in the ongoing IPL season thus far. They are currently placed at 6th position in the eight-team competition. It seems that the franchise has fairly missed their talismanic captain Williamson – the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2018 with a staggering tally of 735 runs – who featured only against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2019, having entered into the tournament with a back injury.

“A (foreign) player has to make way for Kane,” Moody told reporters on the eve of the match.

He also expressed disappointment over the repeated failure of Sunrisers’ middle order.

“In early parts of the tournament, our middle order was starved of opportunities because of the brilliant 100-run partnerships that (Jonny) Bairstow and (David) Warner have put together. There was also enough opportunities for the middle order which were not taken and that is disappointing. There were a couple of games that we have felt that if they did step up and took their chances we could have been slightly different position,” Moody remarked.

In the absence of Williamson, Bhuvneshwar Kumar captained SRH in five games. But the right-arm pacer failed to lead by example as he himself struggled with the ball. Bhuvneshwar has claimed only three wickets from the six games this season.

Asked about Bhuvi’s form, Moody said the swing bowler is slowly getting back his rhythm.

“We got to accept last year he played with him being 70 per cent fit only. He had a lot of back injuries. No one can be at the best when carrying the niggle.

“Also when you don’t play consistent cricket, you may lose your rhythm. He wasn’t playing regularly for India. Bhuvi is getting better towards an important tournament. He is a world class bowler, both with red and white balls. In English conditions, you will have to be brave to leave him out,” he concluded.

(With inputs from Telangana Today)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 14 Apr, 2019

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