Australia’s World-Cup winning captain Pat Cummins has been assigned the leadership role at the upcoming Indian Premier League after franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad named him their new captain for IPL 2024. Cummins will succeed Aiden Markram, who led the team last year, to fill in the leadership role. 

Cummins has yet to lead a team in the IPL, however he has made his presence in the cash-rich league, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. Last year, Cummins pulled out of the tournament to focus on International cricket, but this time Cummins will enter the tournament on the back of a lot of success having led Australia to victory in World Test Championship and ODI World  Cup 2023. 

Cummins was bought by Hyderabad for INR 20.5 crore, being one of the costliest players in the history of IPL auction. During last year, Sunrisers Hyderabad finished at the bottom with four wins from their overall 14 matches under the leadership of Aiden Markram. They had an unforgettable campaign last year, languishing at the bottom. Reacting to the decision by Sunrisers Hyderabad, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan gave his take. 

“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,"said Irfan Pathan on Star Sports.

“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 said.

With the availability of explosive T20I players like Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Johnson, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, Pathan wondered as to what sort of playing XI will Hyderabad go for?

"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," Pathan said.