What's on SRH's mind? Irfan Pathan queries the decision to appoint Pat Cummins as captain in the IPL

Irfan Pathan, former all-rounder of the Indian National Cricket Team, has raised doubts regarding the selection of Pat Cummins as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the upcoming 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Cummins had an outstanding year in 2023 as the captain of the Australian cricket team, leading them to victories in both the ICC World Test Championship and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. His commendable performance in the Ashes 2023 series also ensured Australia retained the Ashes urn.

Assessing Pat Cummins’ Transition to T20 Leadership

Recognized with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2023, Cummins was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a significant sum of 20.50 crores at the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai. Following speculations, SRH officially announced Cummins as their captain on Monday, March 4, replacing Aiden Markram, whose leadership in the previous season was deemed inadequate.

Expressing his thoughts on Pat Cummins assuming the leadership role at SRH, Irfan Pathan acknowledged Cummins’ success as a captain but highlighted concerns over his performance in T20 cricket.

“While Cummins has proven himself as a strong leader, particularly with Australia’s recent triumphs, there remain doubts about his suitability for T20 leadership. His track record in T20 cricket isn’t as convincing, and his IPL statistics aren’t stellar either,” Pathan commented on Star Sports.

It’s worth noting that although Aiden Markram struggled as captain in the IPL, he achieved considerable success in SA20, guiding Sunrisers Eastern Cape to consecutive titles.

Beyond Leadership: Irfan Pathan Questions Pat Cummins’ Bowling Performance

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) faces a conundrum in finalizing their four overseas players for the playing XI, with a pool including Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Glenn Phillips, Aiden Markram, and Marco Jansen.

Irfan Pathan echoed concerns about the selection, suggesting that players like Wanindu Hasaranga and Marco Jansen might struggle to secure spots due to the abundance of talented overseas options.

“There will be challenges. What’s on SRH’s agenda? This move raises questions. If Cummins assumes captaincy, what about Markram? Handing him the captain’s role for just a year, shouldn’t they support him? That’s a major query,” Pathan remarked.

“If both play, Hasaranga and even Marco Jansen could face exclusion due to the surplus of overseas players. SRH needs to strategize because Klaasen is also an overseas player. Personally, I advocate for Hasaranga’s inclusion in the playing XI. Setting leadership aside, Cummins’ performance as a bowler is yet to be observed,” he continued.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is scheduled to commence on March 22, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) facing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Match 23.