"He would just look to hit every ball during his initial years" - Virender Sehwag on DC opener David Warner

Former India opener Virender Sehwag believes that dynamic Australian batter David Warner has shown massive improvement in his game over the years. He pointed out that the left-hander has transformed himself from a reckless hitter to a match-winner.

Speaking on Cricbuzz after Delhi Capitals' (DC) 4-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he stated that Warner has learnt how to adapt to different situations while batting. He pointed out that stocky opener would, in his first few seasons in IPL, solely interested in counter-attacking the bowlers.

Sehwag recalled that when Warner was picked by the Delhi-based franchise in 2009, he had predicted that the Australian would attain success in red-ball cricket also. The Indian legend also recalled how he had told the Aussie star that he could make an impact in the longer format with his aggressive approach.

Viru further explained that the southpaw has transformed his game since those early days. Sehwag pointed out how Warner has performed consistently over the years in the cash-rich league and also gave him credit for leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden title victory in 2016.

Sehwag said:

"When David Warner was first a part of the Delhi team, I had told him that not just in T20s, but he could also be an impactful player in Test cricket. He laughed at it and thought that I was joking. I told him that in T20s there is a powerplay of six overs, but in Test matches, maybe you can also get such field placements throughout the day. During his first three years, he would just look to hit every ball. But then, as he played international cricket, he started playing according to the situation and came up with match-winning performances. He deserves credit for SRH's title victory."

While Warner has showcased stunning form in the ongoing IPL 2022, Sehwag feels that the other batters must also step up if DC want to win the tournament. He noted that a side cannot become champions on the basis of one player.

Viru added:

"The whole team will have to contribute if DC want to win the trophy. It has never been the case that a single player does well throughout the tournament and then single-handedly wins them the competition. If David Warner and Prithvi Shaw fail, the middle-order batters will have to take the responsibility and score runs at that time."

Warner impressed many with his gutsy knock against KKR on Thursday. The seasoned campaigner slammed 42 runs from just 26 deliveries and helped his side chase down a tricky total of 146 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

"SRH will feel the pain whenever David Warner scores runs for DC" - Virender Sehwag

Sehwag lauded Warner for his inspiring performance against the Kolkata-based side. He opined that it was important for the opener to stay there after DC lost early wickets.

The former India captain expanded on the fact that Warner did an excellent job under pressure and tilted the game in his team's favour. He suggested that the batter's former franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad might regret letting him go after seeing his superlative form.

"David Warner made the most of his experience. He saw that Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh have been dismissed early and he took the responsibility to steady the ship. But despite that, his strike rate did not dip. SRH will feel the pain whenever David Warner scores runs."

The left-hander has amassed 261 runs from his six appearances in IPL 2022 so far. He has a fantastic batting average of 52.20 along with an impressive strike rate of 158.18. Warner is currently the leading run-getter for his side in this season.