Pat Cummins to Lead Sunrisers Hyderabad for the First Time in IPL Opener Against Kolkata Knight Riders
In a significant milestone for Australian cricketer Pat Cummins, the upcoming IPL 2024 opener between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders will mark his debut as captain of a T20 side. With a career spanning nearly 13 years at the top level, Cummins has earned this leadership role following a prolific 2023 season where he led Australia to victory in both the World Test Championship and the 50-over World Cup.
Sunrisers Hyderabad made a bold move by acquiring Cummins for a staggering bid of INR 20.50 crores at the IPL auction, aiming to bolster their squad after two last-place finishes in the last three seasons. However, Cummins acknowledges the challenges ahead, especially considering his lack of experience in leading T20 sides.
Reflecting on his new role, Cummins stated, “It’s got its challenges… playing 14 games in six-seven weeks, plus finals. I’m used to playing a lot of Test cricket, so four overs isn’t as taxing on your body. But it can be mentally taxing, the travel, obviously a different country, play a new team every few days you have to prepare for.”
Despite the challenges, Cummins remains confident in his team’s abilities, emphasizing the importance of game day preparations and the need to utilize the squad effectively throughout the tournament. With players like Travis Head, who played crucial roles in Australia’s title wins, alongside new teammates, Cummins aims to foster trust and understanding within the SRH squad.
Moreover, Cummins will face a familiar opponent in the form of Mitchell Starc, who will play his first IPL game in nine years for Kolkata Knight Riders. Commenting on the prospect of facing Starc, Cummins expressed, “It’s going to be weird looking across and seeing him in the other dugout… being an opposition captain, seeing how we go about playing him will be an interesting part of tomorrow.”
As Cummins gears up for his maiden IPL captaincy stint, cricket fans eagerly await the showdown between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, anticipating an exhilarating start to the IPL 2024 season.