Pat Cummins Replaces Aiden Markram As SRH Captain Ahead Of IPL 2024. After leading Australia to victory in the World Test Championship in June 2023, retaining the Ashes in England, and guiding them to win the ICC ODI World Cup in India, Pat Cummins will now aim to add the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy to his impressive achievements.
Sunrisers Hyderabad announced Cummins as their new captain for the IPL 2024 season, replacing Aiden Markram. The team finished at the bottom of the points table in 2023 under Markram’s leadership.
After taking a year-long break from the IPL to focus on preparations for the ODI World Cup last year, Cummins returned to the league. During the mini-auction held in Dubai in December, SRH signed him for a record-breaking amount of INR 20.50 crore. During the intense bidding session, SRH outbid Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore to secure Cummins’ services.
Just an hour later, Kolkata Knight Riders surpassed Cummin’s record as the most expensive player in IPL history by signing fellow Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc for a whopping INR 24.75 crore, who had been sold for more than INR 20 crore.
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This will mark Cummins’ debut season as an IPL captain, with SRH making the decision based on his outstanding performance as a skipper and player across different formats. Over the past nine months, he guided his team to victory in two ICC tournaments, both against India, successfully retained the Ashes, and was honoured with the captaincy of the ICC Test Team of the Year.
Cummins’ remarkable achievements in 2023 culminated in him receiving the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
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The decision to replace Markram with Cummins as captain of SRH was a significant one, especially considering Markram’s success leading their sister franchise, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, to consecutive titles in the SA20 league. However, it appeared to be a logical move for SRH, particularly after their disappointing performance in the 2023 season. They managed to win only four out of 14 games, and the addition of Cummins to the team likely influenced their decision to change captains.
