David Warner may no longer be part of Sunrisers Hyderabad, and his exit from the franchise was far from smooth, but the Australian opener continues to carry a strong emotional connection with the team he once led to their maiden IPL title. That bond was evident once again through his latest Instagram story, where he backed the Pat Cummins-led side to go all the way and lift the IPL 2026 trophy after sealing a playoff spot.
Warner’s final phase with SRH during the 2021 season remains one of the most talked-about fallouts in IPL history. Following five defeats in their opening six matches, the franchise removed him as captain, dropped him from the playing XI, and eventually unfollowed him on social media, bringing a dramatic end to one of the most successful partnerships the team had witnessed. Despite the fallout, Warner has repeatedly expressed gratitude towards SRH fans and acknowledged the immense support and affection he received from them over the years.
The former Australian batter backed SRH to go all the way this season, while also making some confident predictions about how their campaign could unfold. Warner tipped one of the openers to play a big knock, expected Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen to provide the finishing touches with the bat, and predicted skipper Pat Cummins to deliver with the ball as well by picking up three wickets in the final.
“My tip to win the IPL if one of the openers go big and IK and klass to finish off for a big total. PC to get 3/30 in finals," Warner wrote on Instagram story.
{{/usCountry}}“My tip to win the IPL if one of the openers go big and IK and klass to finish off for a big total. PC to get 3/30 in finals," Warner wrote on Instagram story.
{{/usCountry}}He also predicted batting maestro Virat Kohli to smash a century in the playoffs as RCB are currently sitting at the top of the points table.
RCB and SRH to fight for top spot
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad will battle for a crucial top-two finish when they meet in their final IPL league-stage clash on Friday. RCB currently lead the points table with 18 points and boast the best net run rate in the competition at 1.065. A win would seal a first-place finish for them and hand the side two chances to qualify for the final.
SRH, on the other hand, sit third with 16 points from 13 matches, level with Gujarat Titans but slightly behind on net run rate. Hyderabad currently hold an NRR of 0.350, compared to Gujarat’s 0.400, meaning a convincing victory over RCB could significantly improve their hopes of breaking into the top two before the playoffs.