IPL 2023 Auction: Kane Williamson Not Shocked By SunRisers Hyderabad's Decision To Release Him

Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, stated on Wednesday that he did not take SunRisers Hyderabad’s decision to release him on the day of the retention deadline for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as a surprise.

As all 10 teams finalized their lists of players to be retained and released on Tuesday, Williamson was one of the notable players to be released.

Franchises released up to 85 players before the IPL 2023 mini-auction, which is planned for December. Williamson, who was SRH’s skipper last season and was retained by them for Rs 15 crore prior to the major auction in 2022, was let go.

Williamson and Nicholas Pooran, two high-profile players who were released prior to the auction, suggest that SunRisers Hyderabad is aiming to overhaul the team. The 2016 winners will enter the auction with the largest winnings, totaling Rs 42.25 crore.

“It wasn’t a surprise when it [retention list] was officially released. That’s the way it goes, I had a really enjoyable time at SRH, I have a lot of fond memories,” Kane Williamson, confirming that SRH informed him about their decision a few days before the deadline day.

Kane Williamson joined SunRisers Hyderabad in 2015:

Williamson was a key player for the former champions before joining SunRisers Hyderabad in 2015. The captain of New Zealand participated in 76 games and amassed 2101 runs at an average of 36. After Warner handed over the reins to Williamson, SRH advanced to the IPL 2018 final.

Williamson, however, has found it difficult to get going in the game’s shortest format. During the IPL 2022 season, the top-order batter’s performance—216 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 93—received harsh criticism.

Williamson also struggled to bat quickly during the just-concluded T20 World Cup in Australia, scoring 172 runs in 5 matches at a strike rate under 120.

Kane Williamson added that he would continue to play all forms of cricket and that SRH’s decision to release him had no bearing on his future in T20I cricket.

“There are a lot of competitions around the world, and the IPL is certainly an amazing completion to be a part of. You see players play for different teams all the time. There are a lot of options, lot of cricket, so for me, I love playing all formats,” Williamson added.