Kane Williamson on SRH – “Going from underdogs to winners was special”

Winners of the 9^th edition of the Indian Premier League, the Sunrisers Hyderabad are riding high on their success from last year. They beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final to lift their maiden IPL trophy. And this time around, the franchise will be looking to carry their momentum from 2016 to 2017, as their play the tournament opener against the 2016 runners-up tomorrow in Hyderabad.

Though Hyderabad won in 2016, the 26-year-old Kane Williamson was surely not one of their prime performers. His batting slot was often changed and he sometimes batted lower down the order. But he is eager to build on 2017 from last year’s win.

“We’ll try to build on the good things of last season’s triumph,” he told journalists on the eve of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 10’s first match in Hyderabad.

“Going from underdog to winner was special,” he recalled. Speaking of his consistency in all three versions, he said “I think changing teams and formats helps us stay fresh. At other times, I look to do something else, like read a book or surf,” said the Kiwi captain.

When asked how he managed to fit himself into the big boots of Brendon McCullum, he quipped saying “My shoe size is actually bigger,”. He then quickly turned towards praising the former skipper.

“He was a brilliant leader. Our team, hit by injuries, has bounced back when youngsters have stepped up. He’s a good friend and I still talk to him on cricket,” suggesting the former skipper would always be an inspiration.

When asked which team he thinks is the toughest to beat in this edition of the 8-teams league, he singled out RCB, saying they are strong even in Virat Kohli’s absence.
“Royal Challengers Bangalore even without Virat (Kohli) is a tough team to beat”, Williamson signed off.