'A Franchise as Big as SRH Should Think About Building a Team Rather Than Destroying it'

Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi has made some staggering revelations about the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, which he was part of till 2021. Days after going unsold at the mini-auction in Kochi, the all-rounder has opened up about the environment within the team, stating that the players had lost interest in playing for the franchise.

Nabi, who joined the team in 2017 along with compatriot Rashid Khan, revealed that several decisions the team management made negatively impacted the team. Speaking with SportsYari, the Afghanistan skipper highlighted the sudden changes made with the team and support staff.

“When we [Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan] came to SRH in 2017, and the way we played for the next three years, the team combination and performance were the best. But after that, what happened to the team in the last two years, who did it and why; I don’t know. Everything from team combination to coaching staff and environment changed,” Nabi told SportsYari.

The Afghanistan cricketer further expressed his displeasure about the way the franchise treated Rashid and former SRH skipper David Warner. Nabi said the team should have introduced the changes gradually instead of going for a complete overhaul.

“A franchise as big as SRH should think about building a team rather than destroying it. They should have looked to build a good team slowly instead of making abrupt changes. They let go of Rashid, who was a brand for them for five years. Not just Rashid but other top players too. They should not have done that. I don’t understand what they wanted to do,” he added.

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The 2021 season saw Warner getting sacked as a skipper after a series of poor outings during the India leg. Towards the end of the tournament, he wasn’t even included in the playing XI as he was seen cheering for the team from the stands.

The Australian batter was eventually released by SRH ahead of the 2022 mega-auction. Warner was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹6.25 crore at the event. Nabi was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders while Rashid Khan was bought by Gujarat Titans before the auctions.

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