IPL 9: Coach Tom Moody backs struggling Shikhar Dhawan

Sunrisers Hyderabad have begun their IPL-9 campaign on an iffy note. With just the lone win from three games, the David Warner-led side seem to be facing a major batting crisis with only the skipper providing the firepower to the Eagles. Warner’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan too has failed with the bat registering meagre scores of 2, 6 and 8.

However, former Australia cricketer and SRH coach Tom Moody understands his side haven’t kicked off the tournament all guns blazing and asserts how important Dhawan’s finding form adds to a formidable top order in the side.

Moody, who previously coached Sri Lanka, shared his thoughts about his side’s pace jewel Mustafizur Rahman, challenges Indian pacers face in the sub-continent and his favourite all-rounders in the shortest format of the game.

Excerpts Does Dhawan’s form leave you in a spot of bother as a coach Yes, Shikhar hasn’t fired yet. We are fully aware of that. He came into the tournament with a couple of small totals as well. He is a key to turn that around. He has got to find that form, that match-winning form and we have got confidence that he can do that. David Warner has been the standout performer but you also got to consider the other contributions from other players. Warner is one player who does it all from a team perspective. There are partnerships, there was a 65-run partnership between David and Moises Henriques (62 runs against Mumbai Indians). We also had Naman Ojha step up and play an important partnership with Eoin Morgan (67 runs against KKR). Yeah, we haven’t got all our guns blazing but the important thing is that we are slowly piecing it together and when anyone does find that form we will have a formidable top order. View on Mustafizur Rahman’s yorkers: I am not going to make a statement that it’s the best, probably one of the good ones. He has bowled a couple of very good ones in this tournament. But Malinga has been doing that for 10 years. The BCCI is currently on the hunt for a new coach. Has V.V.S. Laxman ever spoken to you about a coaching stint at Indian camp No, it’s not something we really discuss. I am aware that there’s a talk about hunting a new coach for India. I am formerly a coach but I’ve got little comment on this.