"When it comes to T20 leadership, there's nothing" - Irfan Pathan questions Pat Cummins' appointment as SRH captain for IPL 2024
Former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan has questioned SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) decision to appoint Pat Cummins as their skipper for the IPL 2024 season despite the Australian having no T20 leadership credentials.
The Aussie Test and ODI skipper will replace Aiden Markram at the helm after SRH finished last under the South African's guidance last season. However, Markram has captained SRH's sister franchise Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 to titles in the league's first two editions.
Meanwhile, Cummins has no noteworthy T20 captaincy experience to show far at any level.
On the appointment of Cummins as SRH skipper, Pathan told Star Sports:
"When you talk about leadership, you wouldn't want to think beyond Cummins ideally. Australia just won the World Cup under him; he's performed really well in the last one and a half years. But the problem is that Cummins will look nice overall. However, when it comes to T20 leadership, there's nothing. His performance isn't the greatest in T20 cricket and his IPL numbers aren't decent either."
"So there will be a challenge. What is SRH thinking? They've made a big move here. If Cummins is made captain, what about Markram? You gave him captaincy just for one year, so wouldn't you want to back him? That is a big question," he added.
Cummins has led Australia in Tests and ODIs with tremendous success, with the Aussies winning the World Test Championship (WTC) and the 50-over World Cup last year.
However, the 30-year-old has struggled in the IPL throughout his career, picking up 45 wickets in 42 games at an average of over 30 and an economy of 8.54.
"There are a lot of issues" - Irfan Pathan on SRH's overseas combination
Irfan Pathan also felt SRH could struggle to pin down the ideal overseas combination in the playing XI following the appointment of Pat Cummins as captain.
Cummins apart, The franchise made several marquee acquisitions like Wanindu Hasaranga and Travis Head. SRH already boasted an incredible overseas contingent with the South African trio of Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, and Marco Jansen, and New Zealand's Glenn Phillips.
"If they both play, [Wanindu] Hasaranga will struggle to make his place in the team. Even Marco Jansen could sit out because there are too many overseas players. So there are a lot of issues. SRH need to figure out what they have to do because even Klaasen is an overseas player. And I want personally that Hasaranga becomes part of that Playing XI. Forget leadership, how will Cummins perform as a bowler? That remains to be seen," said Pathan.
After an impressive run of five straight playoff appearances between 2016 and 2020, including a title run in 2016, SRH have finished at or near the bottom of the table in the last three seasons.
The Orange Army will begin the 2024 IPL campaign against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens on March 23.