IPL: 'Dropping David Warner from SRH playing XI was not a cricket decision,' says Brad Haddin

David Warner and Brad Haddin. Pics/AFP, Suresh Karkera

Surisers Hyderabad assistant coach Brad Haddin has revealed that the decision to drop Australian opener David Warner from the team's playing XI midway during the IPL 2021 was not related to cricket.

Warner, who led SRH to their only IPL title in 2016, was dropped from the team's playing XI during the second leg of the IPL 2021 in UAE. However, the attacking opener turned things around during Australia's maiden T20 WC-winning campaign and was awarded Player of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, after scoring 289 runs in the tournament.

"I tell you what, it was not a cricket decision that he was not playing for SunRisers Hyderabad. I think the one thing you have to realise about David is that he was not out of form, he was out of match practice. They had a long break. He did not go to Bangladesh or the West Indies. But he turned up in a really good headspace. He was hitting the ball well, circumstances were out of our control, even the coaching staff," Haddin said on the Grade Cricketers Podcast.

"But it was not because he was out of form. All he needed was some match time. He hit the ball well. He just needed to spend some time in the middle to get at the rhythm again. As the tournament went on, you saw his class. He got a bit of rhythm back into his game and he was good to watch," he added.

The Australia opener had indicated that he may play for a new franchise in the next IPL season, however, SRH team management hasn't officially announced his departure yet.

Warner has been one of the most prolific overseas players in the IPL and he will be one of most sought-after players at IPL 2022 auction following his success in the just-concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

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