IPL 2017

Moody backs Williamson, says Daredevils a tough nut to crack

by Pradeep • Last updated on

It is a tough call to leave Williamson, but like most other franchises, we have nine overseas players and five of them will have to sit out: Moody © BCCI

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have had a perfect home season so far in the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and they will hope to keep the good work going when they meet Zaheer Khan-led Delhi Daredevils in their fourth home game. In their last home match before they hit the road once again, the hosts opted for an optional practice session with Kane Williamson, Deepak Hooda, Ben Cutting and Barinder Sran honing their skills.

With coach Tom Moody being a keen observer, Williamson, who hasn't featured in any of the matches so far, polished off his drives, cuts and pulls with panache. The New Zealand captain hasn't had a hit so far in the tournament, but he remained cheerful and was also seen in a lengthy conversation with his coach - once his practice stint ended.

With SRH preferring to pack their team with overseas all-rounders, Williamson, has had little to do other than waiting for his turn in the playing XI. Moody though defended the team selection and praised the New Zealand skipper as the 'ultimate professional.' "We are all aware of what Kane (Williamson) brings to the table to any franchise and we are lucky enough to have him with us at the Sunrisers. It is a tough call (to leave him on the bench), but like most other franchises, we have nine overseas players and five of them will have to sit out.

"One thing that Kane brings to the side is an understanding and a sense of maturity as to what is required for the team. He is a team man to the core. His leadership potential is there for all to see, he has supported David (Warner) with captaincy, he's been superb - be it during training, on match eve or even on the match day. Kane will get his opportunity, it's just a question of when he will get that opportunity. I don't know, it depends upon our combination and the opponents we play," Moody added.

SRH were coasting towards an easy victory on Monday night before a Vohra special threatened to derail their chances. Moody though felt that it wouldn't have been a thriller had things gone in their favour. "We should have won a lot easily yesterday, but some things didn't go our way. If things had fallen in place as they should have, we would have closed the game with ease. But I am happy, happy with the way we have been playing. The two losses (in Mumbai and Kolkata), they are always difficult games. Some of the situations went against us, but we are not worried about the bygones, we are now just concentrating on tomorrow's game, the SRH coach reasoned.

Veteran India pacer Ashish Nehra didn't feature in Monday's win over Kings XI Punjab and wasn't to be seen in Tuesday's optional practice session either, but the coach brushed off any long-term injury setback to their premier left-arm pacer. "Nehra had a stiff neck", Moody said, when asked about the 37-year old pacer's fitness.

"We are also aware of back-to-back games, we played yesterday, we will play tomorrow and we have another game - a day after travelling to Pune, we needed to monitor the workload of our pacers, playing at home - we took advantage of our bench-strength and opted to give an opportunity to some other players," he added.

While Sunrisers do resemble a balanced batting unit, the onus has been on captain David Warner to get them the runs at the top of the order. Moody wasn't too fussed when asked if this over-dependence on Warner bothered him or the team management. "I think David Warner, like any significant player in any franchise, plays a big role in the Sunrisers team. He is our talisman. It doesn't mean that we do not expect the other players to step up. Moises (Henriques) has had a couple of fifties already, Yuvraj Singh made a handy fifty in the earlier game. The other players are also pulling in their weight", Moody said.

The Western Australian also said that he had a positive feeling about this season's batting when compared to that of the previous year - where they were led by Warner's massive tally of 848 runs. "I feel the depth in our batting gives us a bit more confidence when compared to last season, there are players who are ready to perform and waiting for an opportunity to prove themselves if selected," Moody added.

If Sunrisers find themselves within handshaking distance of a slot in the top two, a lot of credit must go to pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Indian pacer leads the tournament charts with 15 wickets from 5 matches and is well ahead of his competitors in the race for the purple cap. The 27-year old pacer had a starring role in SRH's latest victory and deservedly earned plenty of praise from his coach.

"Bhuvi has improved his bowling superbly well, he has been outstanding, he's a genuine wicket-taker for us. He swings the new ball and does well in the death overs as well. He has also had a knack of taking the big wickets and has carried the bowling on his shoulders," a beaming Moody noted.

Warner's men will look to complete this home leg in style before jetting off for two away games, in Pune and Bengaluru. Moody though wasn't thinking too far ahead, preferring to concentrate on Wednesday's match against Delhi Daredevils (DD). "Delhi are a dangerous side and they have got some genuine match-winners. I see them as one team that would be competing against us at the back end of the tournament. Hence, points against them is vital. This is a home game for us, we have played well here and we will look to continue that form.

"I am not really concerned about our away form as yet. We have two away games coming up, at the end. Getting points away from home always counts, we did well last year and won several matches away. We would look to continue with similar form this season as well," Moody concluded.

© Cricbuzz

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