Kane Williamson is one of the greatest batsmen of this generation. He along with Smith, Kohli and Root form the Fab 4 in international cricket. Despite being referred to as a ‘Test Specialist’, he has done well in the shortest format of the game as well. He has been a fantastic T20 player and has an average of close to 40 in the shortest format of the game. He was asked to lead the Sunrises Hyderabad in 2018 as David Warner; their regular skipper was banned for a year.
Kane Williamson had a superb IPL season in 2018 as he went on to win the orange cap and lead his team to the finals as well. He scored 735 runs at 52 at a strike rate of 142.44. However, despite this, he isn’t a certainty in SRH playing XI this year. Will he get a game for SRH this season?
It sounds shocking that someone like Kane Williamson isn’t a certainty in a playing XI, but that’s how harsh the game is, even the best of the best have to sit out someday or the other. As harsh as it may sound, Warner has been one of the best players in the league for quite a while now. He’s been the ‘One Man Army’ for the ‘Orange Army’ on many occasions in the past. The NZ captain could still play under the leadership of Warner but then comes the selection headache, which is to include either him or Jonny Bairstow.
SRH purchased the English keeper in 2019 at a very reasonable rate. He went on to shock everyone as he went on to 445 runs at an average of 52.62 and a strike rate of 157.24. After his heroics in IPL 2019, Bairstow makes a solid case and has made it very difficult for the SRH management to drop him and play Williamson. Hence despite averaging close to 40 and having a strike rate of 135, the NZ skipper might not start in SRH playing XI.
SRH could have played Warner, Bairstow and Williamson together but the issue here is that would make their lower middle order weak, this would also prevent them from having a 5th bowling option. Hence SRH has to play Nabi at any cost. Due to the four overseas players rule it looks tough for SRH to play Williamson in their playing XI, add to the fact that he’d have to play as a proper batsman as Warner will be leading SRH this year, and it gets even more difficult.
However, you can’t keep a class batsman like Williamson out of the game for too long. SRH management would be tempted to play him on the slower tracks in UAE as he’s a superb player of spin. Even if Williamson doesn’t get a game in the initial matches, SRH would try fitting him in the playing XI in the second leg of the league.
