As the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season approaches, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are drawing significant attention with their thoroughly restructured team, which includes some of the most renowned figures in international cricket.
Spearheading the team's ambitious overhaul is ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins, who stands as the league’s second most expensive acquisition to date.
He is joined by Travis Head, both of whom played pivotal roles in their respective teams' ODI and World Test Championship successes, aiming to restore SRH's former prominence.
The previous season saw SRH languishing at the bottom of the league table, securing only 4 victories out of 14 matches despite having a star-studded roster that included Aiden Markram, Harry Brook, Heinrich Klaasen, and Glenn Phillips.
This year marks a significant leadership transition, with Cummins taking over the captaincy from Markram.
The decision has sparked debate among cricket analysts, especially given Markram's successful track record in leading his team to two successive titles in the SA20 league.
In addition to changes in the player lineup, SRH have also revamped their coaching staff. Daniel Vettori, the celebrated New Zealander, steps in as head coach. Dale Steyn has taken a break as well, with James Franklin, another New Zealander, filling in as the fast bowling coach.
Post the mini-auction in December 2023, SRH welcomed notable players such as Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jaydev Unadkat, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Akash Singh, and Shahbaz Ahmed, who was acquired in a trade with RCB.
The team's biggest challenge up first will be to optimize its selection of foreign players, with Cummins, Klaasen, and Head being automatic choices, leaving just one slot open for contention among Markram, Phillips, Marco Jansen, and Hasaranga.
Strengths
SRH's revamped batting lineup, strengthened by the addition of Travis Head and bolstered by heavy hitters like Markram, Klaasen, and Phillips, promises a robust and well-balanced batting order, even if not every one of them will play. Indian talents such as Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, and Abhishek Sharma are expected to make significant contributions, despite their underwhelming performance last season.
Weaknesses
The inability to deliver a cohesive and balanced performance was a critical issue in 2023. Klaasen's batting prowess and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling efforts lacked adequate support, with no other batter hitting the 300-run mark and no bowler, aside from Kumar, securing more than 15 wickets.
As SRH enters the 2024 season with renewed hope and a revamped squad, the focus will be on their combined performance as a team rather than individual brilliance, leveraging their strengthened lineup for a successful campaign.
Probable Playing XI: Pat Cummins (c), Aiden Markram, Mayank Agarwal, Travis Head, Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Marco Jansen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Washington Sundar, Wanindu Hasaranga
SRH Full Squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Anmolpreet Singh, Abdul Samad, Rahul Tripathi, Upendra Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, Glenn Phillips, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar, Sanvir Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi*, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan, Jhathavedh Subramanyan, Umran Malik, Jaydev Unadkat
SRH Schedule for IPL Phase 1:
March 23, 2024: KKR vs SRH (Kolkata) - 7:30 PM
March 27, 2024: SRH vs MI (Hyderabad) - 7:30 PM
March 31, 2024: GT vs SRH (Ahmedabad) - 3:30 PM
April 05, 2024: SRH vs CSK (Hyderabad) - 7:30 PM