From fighter to leader, Warner comes of age

Right throughout the ferocious attack on the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers by Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli while chasing 209, David Warner stood at the boundary line nonchalantly, almost like his team was under control.

They weren't, though. At 112/0 after 10 overs, Royal Challengers Bangalore were sailing towards the shore, especially with Gayle firing sixes like bullets. However, not once did Warner seem frustrated, not once did he lose his cool at his bowlers or the fielders, not once did he look like losing the plot.

"For me, when I spoke to the bowlers, I told them to keep backing themselves. We always knew that if we get a wicket or two, it was going to be harder for the next person to come in and play the shots. So for us, it was about staying composed and having belief," Warner said after the game.

Not too long ago, a word like composure would've stayed well alongside Warner's name. The diminutive Aussie has had a history of punching English cricketer Joe Root at a bar, getting into heated confrontations with the opposition players on the field, and paying frequent visits to the match referee's office. Today, he is the captain who has led SRH to their maiden IPL triumph, joining fellow Australians Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist as the only non-Indian captains to lead their side to title.

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As much credit this season goes to Warner the batsman with 848 runs in 17 outings, the equal amount should go to his leadership skills, if not more. It's clear that Warner has matured as a person off the field. Perhaps, the challenge of captaincy has also acted as a catalyst for the change. He knows he has to lead from the front, knows he has to inspire his troops, knows he has to be a role model.

And, hence, even a throw by Virat Kohli directed straight at him during the final on Sunday couldn't get Warner's blood boiling. He ducked, lay on the ground, and merely laughed it off. Imagine what Warner of two years ago would have done.

Cut to 2016, and not only has he grown as a person on and off the field, he also carries with him an unmistakable hunger and desire to win each time he steps on to the field.

SRH head coach Tom Moody said on Sunday night: "I've enjoyed working with Dav because the most important thing that I draw from him is that he has a relentless passion to win. He's a born winner and that rubs off on others. He has got an incredible work ethic, incredible discipline, and all those things are so important from a leadership point of view. And, that has rubbed off on the group."

Make no mistake, Warner had plenty of challenges facing him coming into the IPL. Not only did he have to instil the self-belief that the team could go all the way this season, he had to deal with a variety of players at his disposal: young Indians, highly successful international Indians, as well as two World T20 skippers in Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson.

"The knowledge that you get around this game is always going to be valuable, whether or not you use that, and how you use that," Warner said about taking in as many inputs as possible as a captain. "It was about getting all the information from these guys, and using it to the best of my abilities."

The only underlying rule that Warner had for every player in the squad was playing with absolute freedom, and yet being fully responsible for what they do.

"For me, it's about players being accountable for themselves from the word go. And, that's what we did as a team. We backed each other's skills, and we had belief. And that's why I am sitting next to the trophy," Warner said, having a glance at the IPL trophy sitting next to him.