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Warners held ‘selectors’ responsible for dropping of Pandey
The omission of Manish Pandey from the Sunrisers Hyderabad XI was a ‘harsh call’, according to captain David Warner decision of dropping Pandey was taken by the team’s ‘selectors’. “It was a harsh call in my opinion. But at the end of the day, the selectors decide to do that,” Warner said at the post-match presentation when asked about Pandey's absence.
Pandey's replacement, 23-year-old Virat Singh managed 4 off 14 balls on a sticky Cheepauk surface. But he was not the only batsman to struggle in a chase of 160. Warner explained, “You cannot blame Virat. He is a good player and on this surface, it becomes difficult to perform as batsmen are not getting too much time out there." At the same time, Warner praised a lot for Delhi bowlers. But it remains unclear as of now who are the ‘selectors’ Warner meant to. Among the big names of the Sunrisers' support staffs, there is Director of cricket Tom Moody, head coach Trevor Bayliss, assistant coach Brad Haddin, batting mentor VVS Laxman and bowling mentor Muttiah Muralitharan who had already left the IPL bubble earlier in the tournament to get treatment for a blocked artery. Pandey in his three matches so far this season, has scored unbeaten 61, 38, and 2.
