Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has batted for the inclusion of Kane Williamson Sunrisers Hyderabad’s playing XI ahead of their next encounter. Meanwhile, Hyderabad have got off to a poor start in IPL 2021 losing both their opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengera Bangalore.

In their second match, Sunrisers Hyderabad went down to the Virat Kohli-led RCB outfit by 6 runs after dominating the most part of the run chase. Chasing a target of 150, the SRH side could only muster a score of 143/9 in their allotted 20 overs. David Warner and Manish Pandey propelled them to a good position at 96 for one but went downhill from there as no middle-order could manage to offer resistance and take their side over the rope.

Kane Williamson should be in the playing XI – Sanjay Manjrekar

Meanwhile, Manish Pandey has also come under the firing line following his sluggish nature of batting. The right-hander took 39 balls to score 38 runs, and his slow approach has been criticized by fans and cricket experts alike. Even in SRH’s first match of IPL 2021, Pandey’s 61 failed to get his side over the line. In the wake of it, Sanjay Manjrekar has batted the inclusion of Kane Williamson in the playing XI to bolster their middle-order.

This view is not after tonight’s result but I have always maintained this SRH team needs Kane Williamson in their playing XI no matter what,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on Twitter.

This view is not after tonight’s result but I have always maintained this SRH team needs Kane Williamson in their playing XI no matter what. #SRHvRCB

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 14, 2021

Meanwhile, Kane Williamson enjoys an impressive record in IPL cricket. The Kiwi batting maestro has featured in 53 matches in the IPL and has scored 1619 runs at a healthy average of 39.49. He has also scored his runs at a decent strike rate of 134.80. Williamson also won the orange cap award in the 2018 edition of the IPL. The right-handed batter amassed 735 runs in the 11th IPL season and scored his runs at an average of 52.50 and an excellent strike rate of 142.44.