Australia cricketer Pat Cummins has been chosen to lead the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise, replacing South African Aiden Markram, in the 17th IPL starting March 22.
Given perhaps a huge challenge, Cummins is SRH’s third captain in three seasons. New Zealander Kane Williamson was the skipper of the Orange Brigade in 2022 finishing eighth. Succeeding him was the South African Aiden Markham to lead the team in 2023. The team finished last and could only muster 4 wins in 14 league games.
Cummins had withdrawn from the IPL last season to focus on international cricket in which he led his team to victory in the World Test Championship and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Australia beat India in both formats in the finals.
Cummins entered the auction for the 2024 season and has been offered Rs 20.50 crore to play for the SRH.
The other Australian and Cummins teammate Aussie Mitchell Starc is being paid Rs 24.75 crore by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who topped the paying list of the IPL 2024.
The third most expensive player in 2024 is the New Zealander Daryl Mitchell who is being paid Rs 14 crore by Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Looking at the top ten most expensive players in 2024, these top 3 players, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Daryl Mitchell will take home more than the total amount being paid to the other 7 players below them in that list.
Cummins, in his crusade to elevate the SRH’s fortunes will be assisted by Australian batter Travis Head and Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in addition to finisher Heinrich Klaasen, Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi and South Africa’s Marco Jansen and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips.
The SRH squad has also named a new head coach with former New Zealand left-arm spinner and captain Daniel Vettori to take over from Brian Lara, who had replaced Tom Moody as coach for IPL 2023.
SRH’s bowling coach Dale Steyn will be handing over to the former New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin.
The Pat Cummins-led SRH will play their first IPL 2024 game against KKR at the Eden Gardens on March 23. They will play Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad on March 27.
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