IPL 2019 started as usual, amid great anticipation and fan interest. Though, the main attractions were the two Australia cricketers, Steve Smith and David Warner, who were making a fresh start following their ball-tampering bans.
Cricket Australia allowed both to focus on the IPL instead of playing the one-day series against Pakistan in March, and all eyes were on the former Aussie skipper and his deputy – what kind of reception would they get? How will people react when they take the field?
Mind you, staying away from competitive cricket for an entire year, then making a comeback and performing to the expectation of the people was never going to be easy.
But David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderabad proved everybody wrong over the last five weeks of the 2019 Indian Premier League.
Surely he is the bad boy of Australian cricket and India, but other than the followers of Sunrisers Hyderabad, he never had a great fan base. That is why his case is more interesting.
Hats off to David Warner. From Match no 1 to his 12th outing of the season, he thrashed everyone with great consistency.
A successful batsman is one who comes back after a big match and scores again in the next. There is a lot of aggression inside David Warner that is helping him play so well. It is reflecting in his batting because even after not playing for a year, he has shown the aggression to do well.
Such aggression makes him a dangerous batsman. He is focused and determined. Watching him bat is so entertaining. This new Warner was great for Sunrisers and it will be a plus point for Australia if he continues this form and this hunger for runs into the World Cup.
What we saw of Warner in the IPL was not just power-hitting but it was an innings that was very well-planned and a very well-executed batting display. From the day he was given the Orange Cap, he made sure it remained with him till the day he departed.
Warner is the bad boy of Australian cricket, the good boy of the IPL, and the best buddy to Sunrisers Hyderabad team members.
It is not easy to live up to expectations but the way he handled himself after the ban was lifted and the way he performed and contributed to Sunrisers’ campaign is a lesson not only for his opponents but for all budding cricketers who may face similar situations.
Normally, when you are branded a cheater, it is a label that stays with you for a lifetime. Both Steve Smith and Warner are remembered by the cricketing world as cheaters. They dishonoured and disgraced the spirit of the game.
But as we say, life is beautiful and cruel too, and for both these players happy days are back again. They have not only managed to remove that label but also managed to stand tall both on and off the field during this entire IPL season.
Cricket is a funny game. It takes one bad shot, one drop catch, one missed run out, one bad move to become zero from hero. But the great thing about our great sport is that it also gives you another chance, and David Warner has taken his chance and grabbed the opportunity with both hands to earn his respect back again.
In the last few weeks, the Aussie opener not only showed his skill through his batting, but showed great character as well, which is so important for everyone to survive in competitive cricket.
A lesson to learn for everyone – never count anybody out. Never run anybody down. If you have fallen, try to get up and start walking. David Warner did the same. Along with his Orange Cap, he hit his purple patch.
I hope he will continue his form in the upcoming World Cup. Well done Warney, keep it up!
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