In his inaugural stint as captain of a T20 team,
Pat Cummins
, the victorious skipper of Australia's World Cup squad, asserts that the abbreviated format is not physically demanding. However, he acknowledges the substantial challenge posed by the extensive travel during the two-month IPL season and the need for diverse preparations to confront various teams with distinct playing styles.
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Cummins, having previously guided Australia to victory in the World Test Championship, shoulders a significant burden in revitalizing the fortunes of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who concluded the previous season at the bottom of the table.
"It's a format I've never captained before. Tomorrow (Saturday) is going to be my first game. With a bit of preparation, I'm good to go," Cummins said on the eve of their IPL opener against Kolkata Knight Riders here."
"It's got its challenges. You play 14 games in six-seven weeks, plus finals. I'm used to playing a lot of Test cricket, so four overs isn't as taxing on your body. But it can be mentally taxing to travel, you're playing a new team every few days you've got to prepare for," the Australian fast bowler added.
"But it's nothing new, we've done it before, so obviously the game days are the most important, that's where we put most of our energies into. No team plays the same XI all 14 games."
Cummins, the second most expensive acquisition in this IPL auction, faces not only the weight of leadership but also the expectation to perform with the ball. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the sole other seasoned bowler in the squad, the responsibility on Cummins becomes even more pronounced.
Additionally, the team features talents such as T Natarajan and Jaydev Unadkat.
"We have got loads of experienced guys excited with the lineup. (On) Bhuvi, I will be leaning on a lot. We have got a lot of experience and young guys as well. It's T20 cricket, you will be hit around, not worry about too much. So it will be up for the experienced guys to help the youngsters' out."
The upcoming Saturday match is being hyped as a showdown between Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Commenting on the anticipation, the Australian captain quipped, "Hopefully, I won't have to face Starc. It's the amusing beauty of the IPL – these guys have been facing Starc for 15 years."
"I can't remember when I played against him. It will be an interesting part of tomorrow. We are both bowlers so there won't crossover too much," he signed off.
(With PTI inputs)
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