Warner was dealt harshly but he thrives on big stage: Brett Lee

SRH
removed
Warner
from
the
captaincy
in
the
first
leg
of
the
IPL
this
year
and
when
the
league
resumed
in
the
UAE
he
was
left
out
of
playing
XI
after
ordinary
outings
in
the
first
two
matches.
Lee
exhorted
the
Aussies
to
change
the
statistics
since
they
are
yet
to
win
a
T20
World
title.

Australia
begin
their
campaign
against
old
foes
South
Africa
on
Saturday.
“We
have
not
had
a
lot
of
success
in
this
format
–
it
is
time
we
changed
it
and
we
do
have
a
side
that
can
take
it
all
the
way.
It
obviously
won’t
be
easy,
especially
when
you
look
at
how
strong
teams
like
England,
India
and
New
Zealand
are,”
Lee
wrote
in
a
column
for
the
ICC.

“But
this
Australian
side
is
loaded
with
talent
and
for
me,
the
key
is
David
Warner.
I
would
like
to
say
he
is
saving
the
runs
for
the
games
that
count
after
his
IPL
form!
He
was
really
harshly
dealt
with
there
and
it
may
have
knocked
some
confidence
out
of
him
but
he
thrives
on
the
big
stage.
Everything
should
be
rosy
for
him
here,
class
is
permanent.
“

The
44-year-old,
who
played
76
Tests
and
221
ODIs,
primed
Mitchell
Starc
and
Josh
Hazlewood
to
do
well
for
Australia
apart
from
Warner.

“I
will
also
put
a
lot
of
weight
behind
Mitchell
Starc.
There
has
been
some
debate
in
the
last
year
about
Starc
being
past
his
best
but
he
would
be
in
my
team
every
single
time,
Josh
Hazlewood
has
had
a
good
IPL
and
Pat
Cummins
is
a
superstar.
He
is
the
David
Beckham
of
the
team,
whatever
he
touches
turns
to
gold!.”

Lee,
though,
did
not
have
any
doubt
that
India
will
be
the
title
favourites
and
expects
batter
KL
Rahul
and
pacer
Mohammed
Shami
to
come
out
on
top.

“I
think
India
are
probably
the
favourites
with
their
top
four
or
five
batters
and
their
bowling
attack.
I
have
KL
Rahul
down
as
the
top
run-scorer
in
the
tournament
and
Mohammed
Shami
to
be
the
leading
wicket-taker,
purely
going
on
the
last
few
months.
So
if
they
deliver
and
India
have
one
of
the
leading
run-scorers
and
wicket-takers,
it’s
a
good
start.”

About
Australia’s
tournament-opener
against
the
Proteas,
Lee
said,
“South
Africa
pose
a
massive
threat”.

“Players
come
and
go,
greats
come
and
go.
But
when
you
play
against
a
nation
like
South
Africa,
the
respect
is
always
there.
We
know
they
have
some
match-winners
and
that
is
where
the
T20
game
will
suit
them.

“They
have
guys
who
can
take
the
game
away
within
four
or
five
overs
and
it
will
be
a
real
test.
I
think
South
Africa
are
closer
to
the
Australian
culture
than
any
other
nation,
in
terms
of
sport.
New
Zealand
are
obviously
closer
geographically
but
South
Africans
are
abrasive
on
the
sports
field.
They
are
always
in
your
face
and
I
love
that,
it’s
great.
It
is
also
why
they
have
been
so
successful
in
all
formats.
I
know
they
will
give
Australia
a
red-hot
crack.”

Lee
also
believed
that
nations
from
the
Indian
Sub-continent
should
excel
in
the
UAE
conditions.