In the upcoming IPL 2024 season, Mumbai Indians won’t be the only team witnessing a change in leadership. Following Hardik Pandya’s takeover from Rohit Sharma as MI’s skipper, Sunrisers Hyderabad is also gearing up under new leadership. Pat Cummins, the esteemed Australian World Cup-winning captain, has been appointed as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the forthcoming IPL tournament.
This decision marks the fourth change in leadership for the team within the past three years. The 30-year-old fast bowler was acquired by SRH for a staggering Rs 20.50 crore during the IPL auctions held in December last year, making him the second most expensive player in the history of the event. His appointment comes as a replacement for South African cricketer Aiden Markram, who led SRH during the 2023 season.
The shift in captaincy has sparked discussion, with former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, a member of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team, raising pertinent queries. Pathan expressed the need for a reconsideration of the team’s playing XI with the inclusion of Pat Cummins as captain.
Irfan Pathan said: “When you talk about leadership, you wouldn’t want to think beyond Cummins ideally. Australia just won the World Cup under him; he’s performed really well in the last one and a half years. But the problem is that Cummins will look nice overall. However, when it comes to T20 leadership, there’s nothing. His performance isn’t the greatest in T20 cricket and his IPL numbers aren’t decent either.”
Photo by: Deepak Malik / Sportzpics for IPL
“So there will be a challenge. What is SRH thinking? They’ve made a big move here. If Cummins is made captain, what about Markram? You gave him captaincy just for one year, so wouldn’t you want to back him? That is a big question.”
This change not only brings a fresh perspective to SRH’s leadership but also requires a strategic rethink in terms of team composition and dynamics. As Sunrisers Hyderabad prepares for the upcoming IPL season, the spotlight is not only on their new skipper but also on the adjustments and adaptations needed to ensure a competitive performance on the field.
He concluded by saying: “So there will be a challenge. What is SRH thinking? They’ve made a big move here. If Cummins is made captain, what about Markram? You gave him captaincy just for one year, so wouldn’t you want to back him? That is a big question.”
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