Five defeats on the trot and some key players missing. People questioning his strike-rate, and his pride dented. The win against Kolkata Knight Riders wasn’t more than a balm and if there was one match that Dave Warner would have wanted to win, it was this one.
He was a Sunrisers man. Led them to a title in 2016, and inspired many a win. And then, he was removed. Dropped and humiliated. His ability questioned. For a proud athlete, that’s the last straw. He was low on confidence, but to make him sit out of the team was just the worst.
That was enough to pump up Warner. He must have craved a comeback. Beating Hyderabad in Hyderabad using all his years of experience would mean the world to him and Delhi Capitals.
“When you are dropped from the team you have loved the most for years without any real fault of yours, and stripped of captaincy without being given a reason, it hurts,” he had told me when we last met in Australia. “At the same time, there are no complaints, mate. The fans in India have always been there for me, and it is for them that you play. We play to entertain. We play to push for excellence.
“Whatever may have been the reason for me not finding a spot in an IPL team, I can tell you in all honesty I was working the hardest and training the hardest I ever did. Not a single day did I miss. I was batting extremely well in the nets, and it was only a matter of time before it all started to work out. So yes, while it hurt, I knew I will have another opportunity. Sport is a great leveller and if you are true to the sport and keep working hard you will always have a second chance. I just wanted to keep working the hardest and stay true. I am glad it worked out for me.”
Mukesh Proves His Worth After Axar and Pandey Rescue Delhi
While he wouldn’t really say it, the wound was still raw. He needed to make a statement, and more so as a captain.
It was captaincy at its best. Bowling the spinners to put pressure on a brittle Hyderabad line-up, and then getting Anrich Nortje to set up the last over for Mukesh Kumar. Warner was successful in pushing Hyderabad back, and made the most of the modest total his boys had put up. That he was pumped up was evident. And why not? With the SRH management all in attendance, the platform was set for Warner. Just hurt them where it hurts the most. A win, and the job is done. No statements needed. Talk is cheap, as Warner would often say.
The moment the match ended, he jumped two feet high and pumped his fists. All of the emotion was finally coming out. The energy was palpable. His never-say-die attitude is keeping Delhi afloat when most of their players are below-par this season. The batting has failed them time and again, and yet they have now managed to get over the line twice in the last two games. Can there be a resurgence? Unlikely, but with Warner you never know.
Like he would always say, “I might fail on occasion, but in terms of effort and preparation, I will never ever back down. I want to make a difference for the team I play for and I look forward to every challenge that comes my way. We are fortunate to play the sport we love, and you need to be true to it each day you play.”
Delhi will believe his intensity can still do the job for them. The warm embrace from Parth Jindal at the end of the game was testament to that. Warner too will believe the same. As for Hyderabad, they will look back at a decision that wasn’t fair at all. A decision that cost them last night.