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Pat Cummins has been a revelation, setting exemplary leadership standards by leading from the front. As the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, the World Cup-winning Australian skipper has steered his team to the fifth position, securing two wins and two losses. The Orange Army is gaining momentum, clinching significant victories compared to the previous season.
Under Cummins’ leadership, the Sunrisers have flourished, marking a stark contrast from their forgettable performance in the previous season, where they finished at the bottom of the table with just four wins and 10 losses.
The team faced communication issues between players and management. However, this season, they have rebounded impressively, posting the highest total in the IPL and defeating formidable opponents such as the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
The Sunrisers roped in New Zealand spin legend Daniel Vettori as head coach after sacking West Indian batting great Brian Lara before this season.
The partnership between Vettori and Cummins has proven successful thus far, with the top-order empowered to unleash its full potential with the bat while the skipper took charge of the pace attack.
In an exclusive interview with Sportstar on Monday, Cummins emphasised the positive team environment, highlighting both his and Vettori’s encouragement for players to play with freedom.
“Dan Vettori and myself are very positive. IPL is a very high-pressure tournament, but T20 is a format you got to play with some freedom. I keep encouraging the guys to keep expressing themselves and it gives us more chances of winning,” Cummins he said.
Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head have been in scintillating form, particularly Abhishek, who has amassed 161 runs in just four matches, including a half-century. Notably, he achieved the feat of becoming the fastest batsman for Sunrisers to score a fifty in just 16 deliveries during the record-breaking total against the Mumbai Indians.
Head, too, has been in fine form accumulating 112 runs with a half-century. Speaking about the duo, Cummins said: “Players like Abhishek and Travis are at the top and that’s where there best is. I am a bowler who likes to bowl in the PowerPlay and to bowl to players like Abhishek and Travis, I am scared too! I keep encouraging them and it won’t come all the time but when it does, it’s match-winning.
When asked about the difference between leading Australia and the Sunrisers, Cummins acknowledged the significant pressure and demand of IPL leadership but expressed his enjoyment of the role thus far.
“I think there are similarities between both campaigns, but the biggest difference is that I have known the Australian guys for 15-20 years. We have played a lot with everyone. But the difference here is you just come before the tournament and I haven’t played in Hyderabad before and the squad before, so you try to build a campaign. The team is trying to give its best and win the trophy.
The Sunrisers acquired the services of the Australian, who led Australia to victory in the 2023 ODI World Cup, for Rs 20.5 crore this year and his tactics have proved effective so far. In their match against Chennai, Cummins utilised slow ball off-cutters effectively, setting a template that his fast bowlers followed to choke the batsmen.
“My off-cutters are one of my better balls and Bhuvi has got a great yorker and we play to our strengths. The wicket in Hyderabad helped us. Having quality bowlers like Bhuvi, Jaydev and Natarajan and the experience they bring makes captaining the team easy,” the skipper said.
This season, the Sunrisers have embraced a new strategy, focussing on aggressive batting in the PowerPlay overs while the middle-order intensified the momentum, with Heinrich Klaasen providing the finishing touches through his explosive batting.
This revamped approach signified a shift towards a more proactive and dynamic style of play, Cummins said: “For the people, that’s always exciting, and seeing some young talent, especially the young guys and the way they have played fearlessly has been refreshing to see.
“I have been around for 14–15 years, and I have seen guys go out in their early 20s and express themselves and it is so much fun to see. I think the way this city (Hyderabad) embraces cricket is very different to Sydney and Australia and it feels the town turns orange, and it’s one of my favourite cities.”
Hyderabad’s deep-rooted reputation for Biryani is well-known, and Cummins has also developed a fondness for it. Ahead of his team’s match against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday, the Australian is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to indulge in the local cuisine once he returns to the city.
“I will get back to Biryani once I reach Hyderabad. Absolutely love it!”
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