The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise has been in a state of flux since the departure of, David Warner, in 2021. Warner, who led SRH to their maiden IPL title in 2016, left a big void to fill, and the franchise has yet to find a suitable long-term replacement.
Since 2021, SRH has experimented with four different captains, with Kane Williamson (2018-2022), Aiden Markram (2023) being the only full-time captains. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2019-2023) has lead team in 8 IPL matches. And now Pat Cummins (2024) will lead SRH in IPL.
While Kane Williamson, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Aiden Markram served as almost full-time captains, Manish Pandey had a brief stint leading the team in a single match during the 2021 season.
SRH Captains in IPL since David Warner
| Payer | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | NR | W/L | %W | %L | %NR | % |
| DA Warner | 2015-2021 | 67 | 35 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.16 | 52.23 | 44.77 | 0 | 53.73 |
| KS Williamson | 2018-2022 | 46 | 22 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.95 | 47.82 | 50 | 0 | 48.91 |
| B Kumar | 2019-2023 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.33 | 25 | 75 | 0 | 25 |
| MK Pandey | 2021-2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| AK Markram | 2023-2023 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.44 | 30.76 | 69.23 | 0 | 30.76 |
Can Pat Cummins replicate David Warner heroics at SRH
Despite these changes, SRH has struggled to replicate the success they achieved under Warner’s leadership. The constant change in captaincy has arguably hampered team stability and performance, with the franchise failing to qualify for the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023.
The appointment of Pat Cummins, a globally-renowned cricketer and leader, has sparked hope for a turnaround in SRH’s fortunes. However, whether Cummins can break the cycle and provide the long-term stability and success SRH craves remains to be seen.
The upcoming IPL 2024 season will be a crucial test for both Cummins and the SRH franchise. Can Cummins finally bring stability and lead them back to their winning ways, or will the musical chairs continue? Only time will tell.
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