During his off-time between matches in IPL 2024, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) skipper Pat Cummins joined kids from a local government school for a game of cricket. A video circulating on social media captures the 31-year-old batting against one of the schoolboys and offering catching practice to others, with several children observing the activity.
SRH secured Cummins for a staggering ₹20.50 crore in the IPL 2024 auction, making him the second most expensive player in league history. Subsequently, the franchise named him captain, succeeding Aiden Markram.
Cummins has ignited a remarkable reversal in their fortunes, guiding them to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Despite finishing at the bottom of the table last season, SRH currently holds the third position with 15 points from 13 matches.
As they anticipate their last league-stage encounter, Twitter was abuzz with a brief video of Cummins capturing hearts by engaging in a game of cricket with schoolchildren, as depicted below:
https://x.com/CricCrazyJohns/status/1791396987423879377
Alongside his shrewd leadership, Pat Cummins has excelled with the ball, claiming 14 wickets with an average of 31.71 and an economy rate of 9.25.
Renowned for his leadership prowess, the champion fast bowler has been arguably the most accomplished captain in the past year, guiding Australia to victory in the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup in 2023.
“He has won everything” – Irfan Pathan comments on Pat Cummins
Former Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan praised Pat Cummins for his exceptional leadership skills across different formats, particularly for his role in revitalizing SRH. SRH had faced challenging times in recent years following a consistent streak of playoff appearances from 2015 to 2020.
Pathan shared his views on Star Sports, stating:
“A train remains on track if all the bogies move together. Hyderabad’s train remained on track because its engine is very solid. Cummins has the experience. He has won everything. He has won the World Cup and the World Test Championship. He won a lot and had an amazing year.”
He added: “They made a massive bid for Pat Cummins in the auction not just as a player. All of us agree that he hasn’t set the IPL on fire as a player. He hasn’t done that this year as well but as a captain, he has brought stability. Such a team needs stability.”
Despite already securing a place in the playoffs, SRH still has an opportunity to clinch a top-two position. Their final league-stage match will be against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at their home ground on Sunday, May 19.
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