IPL 2021: David Warner paid the price for his comment on Manish Pandey claims Simon Doull

Simon Doull has questioned David Warner's out-of-the-blue sacking of Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) captaincy on Saturday. Doull speculated that the Aussie had a 'fall out' with the team's management and his recent comments on Manish Pandey became the final spark in the rift.

SRH announced early on Saturday that Kane Williamson will take over the saddle from David Warner. Experts initially conjectured that the decision was rooted in the team's last-place standing in the points table after almost half of the IPL 2021 season.

However, there is a brewing opinion that David Warner's statement after the match against Delhi Capitals, where he labeled the 'selectors' call to drop Pandey 'harsh', could also be the source of the kerfuffle.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Simon Doull's opinion tilted towards the latter. He believes David Warner wasn't in favor of dropping Pandey and that the Aussie opener 'paid the price' for bringing the matter out in public.

"I think there must have been a falling out somewhere along the lines and not with the team, there has to be a falling out with the coaching structure. After what he said in that game about leaving Manish Pandey out, it was not his decision at all, he didn't want to do it clearly. And basically, you passed the buck, you blamed it on someone else and I think he has paid the price for that," said Doull.

The former New Zealand all-rounder also took SRH's changing coaching dynamic with a pinch of salt. He observed that the relationship between head coach Trevor Bayliss and director of cricket Tom Moody is an unusual one.

"That dynamic... you sack a coach, Tom Moody, you employ Trevor Bayliss and then you bring Tom Moody back to oversee your cricket. I don't know how that relationship can possibly work. And I wonder whether one [win] in 5 (6) is the direct result of that relationship not working... And the press release suggests that he [David Warner] won't even play now that's even more strange!" Doull added.

🚨 Announcement 🚨 pic.twitter.com/B9tBDWwzHe

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 1, 2021

David Warner is not only the top scorer in SRH's history, the 34-year-old has also led the team to their maiden IPL title (2016) and multiple qualifier finishes. Kane Williamson, on the other hand, marshaled SRH to a runner-up finish in David Warner's absence in 2018.

"Never thought David Warner was a tactically superb captain" - Simon Doull

Simon Doull (PC: Twitter)

On Kane Williamson's elevation to the helm, Simon Doull remarked that he never considered David Warner as tactically shrewd as Williamson. He argued that David Warner was always more of a 'leader' than a captain.

"It's a funny one for me. I never thought David Warner was a tactically superb captain. David Warner was a leader. He was a guy who would be first across the line out there, take the fight to any team, score runs and leads from the front - [something like] 'follow me and we will be okay.' And what you saw with David Warner in most years was he would field at long-on and long-off and Kane Williamson would be standing there [near the bowlers]. And Kane would be exchanging advice, talking about the tactics with him. So, David Warner, as a captain, I don't think was great but he's an absolute leader," concluded Doull.

The cloud of uncertainty will perhaps clear out when SRH goes head-to-head against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, May 2.

David Warner joined SRH in 20142014 - 528 runs (4th most runs in the tournament) 2015 - 562 runs (orange cap) 2016 - 848 runs (2nd most) 2017 - 641 runs (orange cap) 2019 - 692 runs in 12 inn. (orange cap) 2020 - 548 runs (3rd most runs) 3 Orange Caps with 140+ SR 🥺💔 pic.twitter.com/K34EgTEJxj

— A (@19_cric) May 1, 2021