Warner : “I worked the hardest I ever did, and I knew I would get a second chance”

David Warner, Australia’s Swashbuckling opener and the Player of the Tournament of T20 WC 2021, has revealed he was training the “hardest he ever did” and knew he would get a “second chance” to prove himself after he was removed as captain and eventually dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2021. When he turned out in the yellow jersey for Australia only a few weeks later, Warner was the second-highest scorer in the World Cup with a tally of 289 runs, an average of over 48, and a strike rate that jumped to 146.70 from 107.73 in the IPL. Slow rate of playing, too old? Warner silenced all such critics.

It was only a matter of time before everything started to fall in place – Warner

“Whatever may have been the reason for me not finding a spot in an IPL team, I can tell you I was training the hardest I ever did,” Warner told the a leading media outlet. “I didn’t miss a single day. 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 would 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.

“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 an explanation, it hurts.

SRH Head Coach explains Warner’s exclusion

Explaining Warner’s exclusion, Tom Moody, who was the director of cricket at Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021 and former head coach for seven seasons, said the franchise wanted to give more opportunities to other players ahead of the new season with the big auction coming up. Many SRH and Warner fans don’t really believe this statement. It’s understandable since giving opportunities to other players shouldn’t have come at the expense of dropping the most dedicated player of the franchise.

“A lot of it [dropping Warner out] was to do with the fact that Sunrisers got to a point where they could not qualify,” Moody said. “It was a case of ‘let’s have a look at Jason Roy and few other young players that are in the squad and give them the opportunity to see what they can prove so we, as a franchise, can look forward to what it looks like moving into 2022’.”

We peaked at the right time – Warner on Australia’s World Cup performance

“It is one of the happiest moments of my life,” he said. “Before the tournament started, I had told you that we were ready. We had a very good team, and every member was determined to leave a mark. Thereafter, we peaked at the right time and once we peaked and everyone started doing their part, there was no looking back. We have an amazing bunch here and can’t tell you how happy everyone is.”