How SRH went from dead last to challengers

Cummins' understanding of roster and adapting big reasons for team staging a comeback after finishing bottom

-  SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

WHEN Pat Cummins was signed by Hyderabad late last year, it invited some raised eyebrows. While the pacer is already great in Tests, he has remained middling in the game's shortest format. Add to it that some of his previous IPL campaigns hadn't yielded the desired outcomes. When the franchise doubled down by making him the captain ahead of the season, it was, at best, a gamble. Sure, he had retained the Ashes, won the WTC title and led Australia to a record-extending 50-over title but this format is different. Success as a leader in other formats means diddly-squat in this format.

However, the 31-year-old has led the side with on-field nous while connecting with the masses off-the-field. In the process, they have moved from dead last in 2023 (four wins and 10 losses) to 40 overs away from advancing to their first final since 2018.

It's fair to say that Cummins and the support staff did not know what their best XI and combination was. But they course-corrected as they identified a template to maximise the best use of the roster.