"Learn from Jaiswal" - Virender Sehwag lashes out at David Warner's slow knock after Delhi Capitals' third successive loss
Former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag have come down hard on David Warner following another slow innings during Delhi Capitals' third successive loss in IPL 2023. Sehwag reckons the southpaw must learn from Yashasvi Jaiswal about upping the ante, while Gavaskar believes the Capitals' captain must take responsibility for the defeat.
Warner, known for scoring briskly and being one of the best overseas players, hasn't been at his best in the ongoing season, Although the left-hander held the Orange Cap after Delhi's 57-run loss to the Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, he scored a 44-ball half-century and ended with 65 off 55. It comes after his slow knocks of 56 and 37 in the first two games.
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Speaking to Cricbuzz, Sehwag declared that the Australian opener should cease to play in the IPL if he cannot score at a brisk pace. The 44-year-old observed that the veteran batter's consumption of deliveries left no room for the likes of Rovman Powell and Abhishek Porel - both of whom are power hitters.
"I feel it is time that we tell him in English now so that Warner listens to it and feels hurt. David, if you are listening, please play well. Score 50 in 25 balls. Learn from Jaiswal, he hit in 25 balls. If you cannot do that, do not come and play in the IPL.
"It would have been better for the team if David Warner got out for 30 runs, rather than making 55-60. Players like Rovman Powell and Abhishek Porel could have come out much earlier and maybe could have done anything. No balls were left for those players, and they are big hitters in the team."
Amid the skipper's lack of acceleration, the other batters have hardly stepped up. Prithvi Shaw has had scores of 12, 7, and 0 in three innings, while Manish Pandey perished for a first-ball duck on Saturday. Mitchell Marsh, who came into the IPL in good form, departed for single-figure scores in his two innings. Vice-captain Axar Patel is also yet to make a telling impact.
"Warner has to take responsibility for this loss" - Sunil Gavaskar
Speaking to Star Sports, Gavaskar opined that the New South Wales batter ought to do better as an experienced campaigner and that the story would have been different had it been an Indian batter.
"If you are dismissed for 8 off 8, one can say okay he couldn't find that rhythm. But you are the captain here, you have that experience. They showed that he was the fastest to 6000 IPL runs so you can never imagine him playing these knocks.
"David Warner would have been retired hurt by Delhi Capitals if he was not their captain. If this was a young Indian player, his tournament would have been over. It would have been his last match. Warner has to take responsibility for this loss."
3 games, 3 losses - very tough to see this @DelhiCapitals - not enough intent with the bat and execution lacking in some areas in the field - we have the belief in this bunch - let’s regroup and start fresh from Tuesday - I believe in this team. Come on Delhi!
Following a heavy defeat, head coach Ricky Ponting hinted at some major changes for their next game.