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'Instant karma': David Warner's IPL dumping backfires brutally

David Warner, pictured here during a game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
David Warner looks on during a game for Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo by Qamar Sibtain/The India Today Group via Getty Images)

The decision of Sunrisers Hyderabad to dump David Warner as captain and drop him from their playing XI has immediately backfired.

A day after stripping the Australian batsman of the captaincy, Sunrisers Hyderabad dropped him altogether as they seek to revive their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign under Kane Williamson.

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The franchise, languishing at the bottom of the points table after just one win in their first six matches, axed Warner from their team to play against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.

However it didn't help one bit, as Jos Buttler's maiden Twenty20 century propelled Rajasthan to an imposing 55-run victory.

New skipper Williamson couldn't change Hyderabad's fortunes in New Delhi on Sunday, with the team still on just one win out of seven games at the halfway stage of the tournament.

Discussing the decision to dump Warner before the game, the Sunrisers' Director of Cricket Tom Moody said Warner was "shocked and disappointed".

“We had to make the hard call - somebody has to miss out and unfortunately it’s him,” Moody said.

“He’s shocked and disappointed. Anyone would be disappointed.

"He has come to terms with the logic behind what we want to achieve from a franchise’s perspective.

“He has rallied around the team and more importantly the team has rallied around him.

"I don’t think what’s happened in the past isn’t as relevant, and we have made some significant changes in the ground in the last 24-48 hours.”

The usually free-scoring Warner rued his slow batting in their previous match against Chennai Super Kings and took "full responsibility" for the loss.

His two fifties notwithstanding, the opener's unremarkable strike rate of 110 reveals his struggle to capitalise on the new ball and fielding restrictions.

David Warner, pictured here after winning the Allan Border Medallist in 2020.
David Warner was named Allan Border Medallist in 2020. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

David Warner dumping doesn't work for Sunrisers

Hyderabad brought in Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi instead as the fourth overseas player in the playing XI, which also includes Englishman Jonny Bairstow and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan.

But Buttler feasted on the Sunrisers' attack, scoring 124 off 64 balls as he propelled his team's total to 3-220.

Hyderabad then always lagged behind the huge target and finished at 8-165.

Buttler expertly navigated Hyderabad's move to use ace leg-spinner Khan (1-24) within the first 11 overs of the innings.

Buttler watchfully played out the spinner and raised his half-century off 40 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

Buttler shared an impressive 150-run stand with captain Sanju Samson (48) before the latter was caught on the edge of the boundary at long-off in the 17th over.

Once Khan bowled his quota, Buttler scored freely against Hyderabad's fast bowlers, scoring his last 74 runs off only 25 balls, hitting seven boundaries and six sixes in the process.

Fast bowler Sandeep Sharma eventually clean bowled the Englishman in the penultimate over, but not before Buttler had smacked the fast bowler for three sixes in the same over.

Rajasthan kept taking wickets at regular intervals once Manish Pandey (31) and Bairstow (30) saw off the batting powerplay by putting on a 57-run opening-wicket stand.

Williamson (20) was well deceived by Kartik Tyagi and holed out in the deep in the 13th over.

The Sunrisers' latest loss had fans crying foul over the team's treatment of Warner.

with AAP

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