Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) wicketkeeper-batsman Shreevats Goswami has revealed his teammates’ reaction after David Warner was removed from the captaincy mid-season following the series of defeats in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021).
Just before the IPL 2021 was postponed indefinitely due to the Coronavirus outbreak inside the bio-bubble; the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) announced the shocking decision to remove Warner as their captain following a streak of poor performances as the team was lagging in the last position on the table with just one win from their 6 games under Warner. SRH named Kane Williamson as the new captain.
Warner’s captaincy snub by the SRH management was the most surprising one given the Australia star’s track record both as a batsman and captain, as the swashbuckling opener is the three-time Orange Cap winner for SRH and even led Hyderabad to its maiden IPL trophy in 2016.
Recalling the change in the captaincy mid-season, Goswami revealed the decision had no major impact on most of the players, as it was a tough decision on the management's part, but a few showed a bit of “remorse” towards the call of removing Warner as SRH captain in the mid-IPL 14 season.
Speaking to Cricket.com, Goswami said: “Look, it didn't really affect the players. I mean, it was a tough call on the management's part but it wasn't dropped on players. We were quite ok with the whole situation. Yes, there will be a bit of remorse in certain players with that decision but I think we were in good spirits and looking to contribute towards the team’s success in the remaining games.”
He further added, “Obviously, if you ask David or Kane or the management, there has to be a different angle to it. We as domestic players – especially me who hasn't played a lot of games and hasn't gotten involved too much in these decisions – it was quite ok for us.”
Despite the change in captaincy, the SRH lost their last game in the IPL 14 too against Rajasthan Royals under Williamson before the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Goswami commented on the same, “I don't know whether there will be an advantage because we will have to play seven more and win all to qualify - if not six. So we will regroup again if that happens. In the team meeting, we spoke about bouncing back. We have seen how Mumbai Indians, in one year, they had to win all remaining games, and they did.”
He signed off by saying, “That's how the game is and we should look to gain momentum and win all games to qualify because we don't have any other option. I don't know how things are going to pan out but this is how our attitude and game plan should be.”
(With Cricket.com Inputs)
