Brett Lee: Dropping Warner after a couple of poor results is no way to treat a world-class batsman
SportsAdda ambassador Brett Lee has expressed his discontent with the way David Warner has been treated by Team Hyderabad after a poor run of form in the 2021 Indian T20 League.
Warner hasn’t played for Hyderabad in the last two matches and has been replaced by Jason Roy in the starting XI, leading to the suggestion that it might be the end of his Hyderabad career.
“Well, potentially [he can leave Hyderabad],” Brett Lee told SportsAdda in a chat with Manish Batavia on T20 Crazy, powered by sportsbet.io.
“But the thing with David Warner which I’m baffled about is that he is a quality player. He has always been among runs and would be in my team every single time. Now, Kane Williamson can potentially offer more in terms of captaincy, fair enough. But Warner should never be dropped. He should be playing every single game.
“He is a very confident person, a very confident player, but dropping him after one or two poor results is not the way to treat a world-class batsman.”
Ravindra Jadeja a godsend
Chennai’s Ravindra Jadeja recently played a match-winning knock against Team Kolkata and Lee was left impressed with his performance.
Jadeja rescued victory from the jaws against Kolkata after coming into bat with his team reeling at 6/146 in 18 overs. He unleashed a much-needed onslaught as Chennai needed 26 runs in the final couple of overs, hitting Prasidh Krishna for 20 runs in four deliveries during the penultimate over. Jadeja was eventually dismissed but his job was done.
“He is a tremendous player, isn’t he?” said Lee.
“He is a wonderful bowler but even a greater finisher when it comes to batting. He has been a huge find for India and anytime he gets the chance to put the pads on either for Chennai or for India, he’d be a godsend.”
Harshal Patel a good find for India
Bangalore pacer Harshal Patel has been phenomenal this season. The leading wicket-taker of the ongoing edition, he was once again the key in his side’s 54-run over Mumbai. As for Lee, he thinks that Patel’s form bodes well not only for Bangalore but also for Team India.
“He’s great, but what I love the most is the excitement on his face. He has obviously had great matches, but it’s the smile on his captain’s face that has made the difference. He is in a good space, his captain is proud of the way he is playing and it’s all happening for him.
“He is the guy I think who can keep improving and it’s not only good for Bangalore but also good news for India.”
Have we seen the last of Gayle in Indian T20 League?
Punjab batsman Chris Gayle recently decided to pull out of the Indian T20 League, citing bubble fatigue. It’s a big loss for his franchise and it remains to be seen if Gayle returns for another season.
While it’s entirely up to him to decide whether he will play the next edition of the Indian T20 League or not, there are also questions surrounding how many suitors he can entice at the age of 42.
“Look, it’s a tough question because when you think about Gayle, you’d pick him on your side just because of his character,” said Brett Lee.
“He is still a good batsman, but is he going to be as good as he used to be? Maybe not. Maybe we have seen the last of Chris Gayle in the Indian T20 League.
“But in the end, it’s his choice. This guy has been world-class, one of the best T20 players the world has ever seen so he can definitely know when to put a stop,” Lee added.