3 Teams that can target David Warner in IPL 2022 auction

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been postponed for an indefinite time due to a constant increase in the number of coronavirus cases among the players and the support staff members. A few days before the suspension of the T20 Championship, 2016-champion Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) grabbed all the limelight as they sacked their skipper David Warner to make Kane Williamson the new leader of the squad. The management took a harsh call as the team was languishing at the last position on the points table with just one win from five games. 

In addition, SRH also decided to exclude Warner from playing XI in their last encounter against Rajasthan Royals. The decision was inspired by Warner’s poor run in the IPL 2021 with the willow. In six matches, the left-hander scored just 193 runs at an average of 32.16 and a strike rate of 110.28. Though SRH succumbed to defeat against Royals, the head coach made it clear that they will persist with the same playing XI. 

The same is being considered as the end of David Warner’s stint in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The franchise is expected to release the Australian star batter ahead of the mega-auction for IPL 2022. The presence of Warner under the hammer will likely initiate a bidding war on the auction table with many franchises going behind him. 

3 Teams that can target David Warner in the next auction

1. RCB 

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were experiencing a dream run in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise was placed at the third position on the points table with just two losses from seven games. The Virat Kohli-led side was deemed as the favorites to win their maiden IPL cup. However, one of the weaknesses of the franchises was their weak top-order. 

In 2021, the skipper Virat Kohli decided to open alongside RCB’s highest run-getter of the previous edition, Devdutt Padikkal. Though the same strengthened the team’s opening pair, it left the number three batting slot exposed as Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers came to bat at number four and five positions respectively. 

For the number three slot, RCB tried many options including the likes of Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, and Shahbaz Ahmed. However, none of the aforementioned players managed to impress the management. The presence of David Warner can solve the problem for the team. 

Though there is no certainty on whether the team will be retaining Devdutt Padikkal before the mega-auctions, the presence of AB de Villiers, David Warner, and Virat Kohli is enough to make any batting line-up look intimidating and lethal. 

2. RR 

Rajasthan Royals finished as the wooden-spooners in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), hosted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Though they looked promising in the first few matches of IPL 2021, they again flattened and failed to live up to their reputation. Before the T20 Extravaganza was postponed, Rajasthan Royals registered just three victories from seven games. 

The franchise won the title in 2008 but since then have failed to work their charm again and are waiting for their second IPL title. Thus, the Royals will be eying the presence of David Warner on the auction table as he makes a hot case and can bolster their batting line-up to no extent.

Warner is the highest overseas run-getter in the history of the Indian Premier League and holds the record of taking the least number of innings to reach the illustrious mark of 5000 runs in the tournament. 

3. KKR 

IPL 2021 was a season of disappointments for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). They started their campaign in the T20 Extravaganza with a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) but failed to keep the momentum going. The same was followed by the franchise registering four losses, on the trot, against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals respectively. 

Though they returned to the winning ways with a win against Punjab Kings, the franchise again registered a loss against Delhi Capitals in the last encounter. One of the highlights for the Knight Riders was the terrible failure of their batting line-up. Expect Andre Russell, no other batter showed consistency or the intent to score runs for the team.

Thus, the team will be hoping to bounce back stronger in the next edition of the tournament, and the presence of David Warner in the squad and can the franchise in making a case for themselves to win the title next year.