HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad finished last in 2023 but skipper
Pat Cummins
, acquired by the franchise for Rs 20.5 crore, and coach Daniel Vettori have effected a remarkable turnaround. Power-hitting like a raging storm, they have posted three 260-plus totals, including the highest IPL total of 287/3.
In an exclusive chat with TOI, Cummins says giving their batters the license to express themselves has helped revive the team's fortunes.
Excerpts...
Having never led in T20s, how did it feel to be asked to lead SRH? What was your first impression of the dressing room?
I was excited. I have not captained in
T20 cricket
or IPL. I was excited to work alongside Daniel Vettori as coach. I didn't know many of the Sunrisers players or staff but they've been amazing. I didn't have any baggage because I wasn't here for the last two years. For us, it was about committing to a style - about how we wanted to play, a style we thought would give us the best chance of winning. And that has been to be really aggressive with the bat. Travis Heads epitomises how we want to play and that is to go and play with freedom. So, don't overthink it. Don't overcomplicate it. Just go out, play with freedom. That's pretty powerful. Plus, we have variety with the ball.
Please talk about opener Abhishek Sharma's performance...
He's loving batting with
Travis Head
. Just going out, playing shots. He's naturally aggressive. We've given him the freedom to go and do it his way and take the game on. He's doing really well.
How is it working with Vettori?
I can concentrate on my own game, knowing that as coach he's got everything sorted. He's good strategically. And he's a great people manager. Very hands-on. The team's responding really well to Dan.
With scores over 200 being the norm this season, is it a bad time to be a bowler or captain in the IPL?
Yeah. It feels like a bit of a shift in T20 cricket now. Even five years ago, under eight an over was the aim. Now, if you're bowling some death overs or in the Powerplay, if you go under 10 an over, that feels like a good day. So, it's just readjusting your own expectations and knowing that even if you bowl an over for eight or nine, that could be a match-winning at the right time. It feels like you've got to have a few more options as a bowler.
What are the options to survive such batting onslaught?
If it's a one-odd game, the sample size isn't big enough. But you look at trends. If you're getting hit the same way over a few games, then maybe you always try and fall back on what makes you a really good bowler. Try and highlight that rather than thinking too much about the bad.
How different is leading in T20s from Tests and ODIs?
Very different. Test cricket is a bit more gradual. In T20 cricket, it can all happen in five minutes. It can be a big over and suddenly the game's changed. So, every ball, you've got to think on your feet. You've got to be really clear on what you want to achieve with that ball or else it can get away from you quickly.
What is your take on the unique 'impact player' rule?
It feels like the batting order is longer now. Obviously, you can play the extra batter. So, you can take a bit more risk being aggressive up top. But as a captain, it feels like you've got five really good bowling options. Sometimes without the impact player rule, it feels like you're trying to find four overs out of allrounders. I'm 50-50 on it.
Will the trend of high scores in IPL affect the T20 World Cup?
I don't know. The best players in this competition are still the ones that are placed to succeed. I don't think it will affect the World Cup too much.
SRH have struggled while chasing down totals...
Yeah, maybe. We haven't chased a big total yet. It's something we need to get better at.
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