By Star Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been appointed as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the upcoming 2024 season of the IPL. Cummins, aged 30, takes over from Aiden Markram as the franchise aims for a fresh start following a disappointing last-place finish in the previous season.
Cummins emerged as the frontrunner for the captaincy after being purchased for a massive sum of INR 20.50 Cr in the auction. The decision was influenced by the presence of Daniel Vettori, SRH’s new head coach, who has a working relationship with Cummins from the Australian national team. Vettori has also appointed former national teammate James Franklin as the bowling coach, replacing Dale Steyn.
Despite Markram’s success in leading sister franchise Sunrisers Eastern Cape to consecutive titles in SA20, the change in leadership was necessitated by SRH’s poor performance in 2023 and Cummins’ impressive leadership credentials. Under Cummins’ captaincy, Australia won the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup.
This will be Cummins’ first captaincy stint in the IPL, having previously played for Kolkata Knight Riders. While he did not achieve notable success with the ball, Cummins made history by scoring the fastest fifty in IPL history, off just 14 balls. He also became the first player to be auctioned for over INR 20 Cr, a record that was later surpassed by KKR’s signing of Mitchell Starc for INR 24.75 Cr.
