IPL 2018 | Kane Williamson is a wonderful batsman and an inspirational leader, says Laxman

David Warner’s presence in the SRH dugout was something that brought a sense of calm to the entire team over the last few seasons. The left-handed opener was one of the leading performers with the bat in the IPL in past editions and was extremely influential when the SRH team won the title after they defeated the RCB outfit in the finals in 2016. SRH were sure to miss out on his batting expertise this year, but newly-appointed skipper Kane Williamson is more than capable of emulating Warner’s performances with the bat.

SRH team mentor VVS Laxman was quick to back the Kiwi batsman to come through when needed in this year’s tournament in the absence of the explosive David Warner.

"Our preparations have been excellent despite the heavy rain in Hyderabad. We came away from the auction happy with our acquisitions, which make us a stronger, well-rounded side. Quite obviously, the loss of David Warner in unfortunate circumstances is a big blow, that is stating the obvious, but we feel that even so, we have the resources to mount a strong challenge. 

"Kane Williamson is a wonderful batsman and an inspirational leader, and we are confident he will ensure a seamless transition," wrote Laxman for TOI.

Laxman, who played 22 IPL matches between 2008 and 2011, was positive of his side’s chances ahead of their opener versus the newly-returning Rajasthan Royals team today. Despite losing Warner, Sunrisers have very good batsmen in Williamson, Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Alex Hales, Wriddhiman Saha, and Yusuf Pathan. In the bowling department, they have the swing-maestro Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Chris Jordan, Sandeep Sharma, and Billie Stanlake to make use of over the course of the season.

"The depth in our batting and the variety in our bowling means we have the luxury of playing different combinations depending on the conditions and the opposition without having to make compromises. Twenty20 cricket is all about momentum and getting on a roll. We have two matches in our backyard before we start travelling, and as a group, we would love to get two wins under our belt so that we can carry that positive energy with us when we hit the road," Laxman added.