Sunrisers Hyderabad are reportedly looking for a captaincy change ahead of the Indian Premier League 2024. SRH are looking to replace the current skipper Aiden Markram with Australian star Pat Cummins, who cost the franchise record INR 20.50 crore in the player auction on December 19 last year.
Cummins arrives in Hyderabad after guiding Australia to glory in the ICC ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship 2023. The fast bowler also works with SRH head coach Daniel Vettori who is the assistant coach of the Australia men's national cricket team.
According to a report from Cricbuzz, the franchise is expected to replace the current skipper Aiden Markram with Pat Cummins ahead of the IPL 2024 starting on March 22. Sunrisers Hyderabad finished the last edition at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 games under Markram's leadership.
However, Markram guided Sunrisers Eastern Cape to successive SA20 titles last month and also captains South Africa in white-ball cricket. But Cummins' recent success as an international captain might push the franchise to take a bold decision.
James Franklin to replace Dale Steyn at SRH:
According to a report from Cricinfo, Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowling coach Dale Steyn has reportedly requested a break from the 2024 edition and the franchise has already locked in former New Zealand pace all-rounder James Franklin as his replacement. Steyn has previously represented Hyderabad-based teams (2011-2015) and is expected to return next season.
James Franklin, 43, represented Mumbai Indians in IPL 2011-12, is an assistant coach for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League 2024. Franklin and Vettori previously worked together at Middlesex and Birmingham Phoenix.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign in an away game against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 23 and will play Mumbai Indians in their first home game on March 27.
SRH Squad for IPL 2024
Retained Players: Aiden Markram (c), Abdul Samad, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Sanvir Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande
New Signings: Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins, Jaydev Unadkat and Jhathavedh Subramanyan
