CHENNAI: Two months before the IPL began, when New Zealand were engaged in a tri-series involving Australia and England, former pacer Simon Doull had questioned not just Kane Williamson’s captaincy in T20s, but also his place in the squad. A regular in the IPL commentary box, Doull said Williamson should play only if he opens.
This was just after the IPL auctions and before the Cape Town ball-tampering saga. The Kiwi captain was perhaps thinking of making the SRH XI only if one of their overseas regulars struggled or got injured.
David Warner, Rashid Khan, Shakib Al Hasan, Billy Stanlake were big names to be ignored. Add Carlos Brathwaite and Chris Jordan, and Williamson it was who appeared to be the outsider. Then the Sandpaper Gate opened and out went Warner. How SRH would manage without their premier batsman and skipper became the question.
As SRH get ready for a second final in three years, their biggest hope apart from Rashid is Williamson, the same player whose place in his national side was questioned. SRH’s think tank has shown over the years they think out of the box. While most prefer bolstering batting, they go for bowlers. That’s why having Williamson as a leader has suited them.
It’s a role he has got experience in with New Zealand. Given the responsibility, the only overseas captain this year has shown he not only belongs to this format, he can also be a game-changer. As batsman, the Orange Cap holder follows a pattern. He bids his time and switches gears so smoothly that in full throttle, he is almost poetry in motion. Once set, he has been the most difficult batsman to dismiss.
“Any quality batsman, if he has got the skills, will adapt to any form of the game and Williamson is no different,” said New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, part of the Star Sports Select dugout. “He doesn’t look to thrash the ball, but times it gets in good positions and hits where fielders aren’t.”
His leadership has also been eye-catching. Always ready to go on the offensive, Williamson pounces on every opportunity to go for the kill, as was evident in the way he combined with Rashid to dismiss Andre Russel in Qualifier 2.
Apart from taking players out for dinner to sitting with new faces in the team bus, he has ensured SRH didn’t miss Warner.
On Sunday, he will be up against a captain who is not completely different. It is against Dhoni & Co that Williamson has not been able to assert his supremacy on three occasions.
Sunday will be the fourth encounter between the two this year, and Williamson will hope to come out on top when it matters most.
venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com