3 things SRH can learn from their successful IPL 2016 campaign
The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) were among the elite in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after winning the title in 2016 and making it a habit to qualify for the playoffs on a consistent basis. SRH, however, are far from their best and are embracing a potential last-placed finish in the 2023 season.
Hyderabad are currently languishing at the bottom with only four wins in the campaign so far. Apart from the results, the bigger concerns stem from the fact that there is hardly any cohesion or spirit in the team compared to the former years.
The 2016 SunRisers Hyderabad side ranks among the greatest teams in the competition's history. The David Warner-led outfit are the sole team to have won the IPL title after not finishing in the top two after the league stage. They won the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 as well as the final to get their hands on the trophy.
The team with a core of Shikhar Dhawan, Warner, and Rashid Khan had a prolific run in the tournament, having made it to the playoffs five seasons in a row. With the results from the past being so evident, there are a few pointers that the current team could pick up to bounce back stronger in the future.
On that note, here are three things SRH can learn from their successful IPL 2016 campaign.
#1 A good and healthy captain-coach dynamic with clarity
SRH's finest days came under the leadership of David Warner while head coach Tom Moody weaved his magic behind the scenes as well. A good dynamic between a coach and a captain is arguably the bedrock of a team's success, among other factors.
However, the SRH team of 2023 does not quite have that dynamic chemistry between the newly appointed leadership figures in Aiden Markram and Brian Lara. Markram's recent statement surrounding Umran Malik's non-selection was a clear indication that he had no say in the team combination, which is not a sign of a healthy team environment.
Even the exit of Warner was not handled well a couple of years back. The former skipper was first dropped from the playing XI and then stripped of the captaincy entirely before he was released from the squad altogether.
#2 Ability to bounce back
While the SRH teams from 2016 and 2023 are poles apart in terms of their performances and end result, they began their respective campaigns on a similar note.
The David Warner-led side had also lost their first two matches of the season but proceeded to bounce back in style by winning their next three to create some momentum. After having missed out on a top-two finish with consecutive defeats to close out the league stage, SRH proceeded to win three consecutive knockout matches to lift the trophy.
In a similar fashion, after two defeats, the current team bounced back with two successive wins in 2023, but their campaign derailed after that.
Since then, the Orange Army have only won two of their last nine matches, which is staggering in such a high-level performance tournament like the IPL.
#3 Senior players stepping up
While an argument could be made that the 2016 SRH team was over-reliant on a few names, it is actually the case for the majority of teams in the IPL.
In hindsight, the important fact was that they actually stood up when it mattered and played a crucial hand in the franchise's title win.
David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan scored a combined tally of 1349 runs in 17 matches while Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up 23 wickets in the season. The likes of Yuvraj Singh also played a crucial hand in certain matches when it mattered.
In stark contrast, the current squad was woeful in terms of individual performances. Barring a couple of centuries from Harry Brook and Heinrich Klaasen and a five-wicket haul for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they do not have much to show for it.
Their big-money signings like Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal faltered while their trusted candidates like Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram also led the team down with their performances.
Will the franchise bounce back in 2024 or will their streak of missing playoffs continue? Let us know what you think.