Change is always good, even when it’s a last-minute change of guard. But that’s if the new leader, and his team, rely on the two qualities that Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Tom Moody puts at the forefront – clarity and professionalism.
It’s a calm and collected Moody who speaks to ETPanache over the phone from the media room of the team hotel, on the day of the opening ceremony. A few days earlier, Australian cricket was rocked by ball tampering in South Africa, but the tremors were also felt in India. Players Steve Smith and David Warner were banned for a year after the scandal broke out in March. With the start of the cricket league here, the Hyderabad and Rajasthan teams, that had Warner and Smith as captains, had to make the decision on who would lead their teams.
On the left, Steve Smith and on the right David Warner. (Image: Agencies)
Natural fit New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, took over the captaincy from Warner just before the tournament started. “It has not been a huge issue given that Kane has been part of the Sunrisers’ family for a couple of years now. He is someone people look up to and respect. He will take to this opportunity (captaincy) like duck to water,” says Moody.
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Captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad Kane Williamson celebrates his half century during IPL T20 match against Kings Xi Punjab's in Mohali. (Image: PTI)
What helps the transition, in the former Australian batsman’s opinion, is the fact that most of the world players have either played against each other or on the same team. “The most important thing is clarity in the roles early on,” he says. Being professional is also paramount. Moody says that you should always know which role you are best suited to. “So when your opportunity presents itself, you are better prepared every single time that you play.”
Moody’s words ring true in Williamson’s case. The Kiwi put up a decent score in his debut match as captain of the Orange Army, while he scored a match-winning 50 of 44 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 14.
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Steve Smith Wasn't The First! Here's A Look At Other Team Heads Who Were Banished
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In 2000, the South African cricket captain was at the centre of a match-fixing racket. He was banned for life from the game after that. The conversation between the batsman and Sanjay Chawla, who was a part of a betting syndicate, was what landed Cronje in trouble.
The comeback: The 32-year-old died in a plane crash in 2002 when he was travelling from Johannesburg to George. A year before his death, Cronje had tried to get his ban reversed, but his appeal was dismissed.
(Image: Facebook/Hansie.Cronje)
In 2000, the South African cricket captain was at the centre of a match-fixing racket. He was banned for life from the game after that. The conversation between the batsman and Sanjay Chawla, who was..
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The former Indian cricket captain was named by Cronje in the same match-fixing scandal. The South African had alleged that Mohammad Azharuddin introduced him to bookies.
Azharuddin was also banned for life and his career came to an end amidst this controversy. In 2012, the ban imposed by the BCCI was lifted by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which called it “unsustainable”.
The comeback: The middle-order batsman did not make a comeback, as he was 37 when the allegations were levied. Instead, he joined politics and became an MP from Moradabad constituency in 2009.
The former Indian cricket captain was named by Cronje in the same match-fixing scandal. The South African had alleged that Mohammad Azharuddin introduced him to bookies.
Azharuddin was also banned f..
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In 2010, the former Pakistani cricket captain was named as one of the three players involved in spot-fixing in England during a Test series.
Salman Butt was convicted for taking bribes from bookie Mazhar Majeed to underperform as well as have his bowlers bowl deliberate no-balls. Banned for 10 years, Butt was sentenced to 30 months in jail.
The comeback: In 2015, Butt, along with Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, had his ban lifted and was allowed to return to all forms of cricket. In 2016, the 33-yearold played in the National One Day Cup where he was one of the top scorers. In the last National T20 Cup 2017-18, Butt and Kamran Akmal set a world-record opening partnership in T20 history, with an unbeaten 209 run stand. He has, however, not returned to international cricket or been selected to play for the national team yet.
In 2010, the former Pakistani cricket captain was named as one of the three players involved in spot-fixing in England during a Test series.
Salman Butt was convicted for taking bribes from bookie M..
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The former England football captain was, in 2010, stripped of the captaincy amidst accusations of an affair with teammate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel. This caused a strain between the two players, which showed in their on-field performance. Perroncel claimed the a f fai r never happened.
The comeback: Terry was allowed to be part of the team and play. In 2011, he was reinstated as captain after a gap of 13 months. He was again stripped of the captaincy after he was accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. He retired on the eve of his Football Association (FA) hearing saying his position was “untenable” in the wake of the disciplinary action.
The former England football captain was, in 2010, stripped of the captaincy amidst accusations of an affair with teammate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel. This caused a strain between th..
