June 6, 2025
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Pat Cummins Interview: T20 cricket is at the mercy of form

Pat Cummins Interview: T20 cricket is at the mercy of form

Danijones019 mins

Having redefined power hitting in T20 cricket last season and strengthening its batting unit in the auctions, Sunrisers Hyderabad went into the 2025 Indian Premier League campaign as one of the title favourites. It began the season by scoring the second-highest total ever (286 vs Rajasthan Royals) and closed it with the third biggest (278 vs Kolkata Knight Riders). Everything in between, however, was far from rosy. To state that SRH has disappointed this season would be an understatement, something that skipper Pat Cummins acknowledged. The pre-season talk of SRH breaching the 300-run mark only got louder when Ishan Kishan’s debut century saw it take RR to the cleaners, a match that Cummins, in hindsight, believes only raised the bar even higher. In an exclusive chat with The Hindu , the Australian opened up about SRH faltering under the weight of expectations, weighed in on a possible squad rebuild, looked back on Australia’s ODI World Cup success on Indian soil in 2023 and more. Excerpts. To state that SRH has disappointed this season would be an understatement, something that skipper Pat Cummins acknowledged. | Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL ALSO READ | Royal Challengers end long wait for maiden title  Enough has been spoken about SRH’s campaign. How have you, as an individual, processed it all game by game? What has the pressure been like on you and everyone in the team? The results haven’t been probably as we hoped, but outside of that it’s been great. Similar squad to last year, but some new faces, it’s been great fun. I am really proud of how everyone enjoyed themselves and each other’s company, and trained hard. It’s been a good couple of months. I think that first game, getting 280-odd, obviously set the bar really high. That was as good a pitch as you’re ever going to get. As a whole, it’s about assessing what you think is a good score and each game that might change. I think, at times, we could have been a little bit better at that. You’re the only overseas player to lead a side this season. Has that made any difference to the pressure on you in any way? I don’t think so. Last year there were a few more overseas captains, but it’s just the way it happens. I’ve really enjoyed it, working with Dan Vettori as the coach and some of the senior guys. I think having been captain last year helps this year because you’ve got a bit more experience. There were quite a few big tactical decisions taken during the season. Mohammad Shami being dropped (for the game against Delhi Capitals in Hyderabad) and you picking up the new ball was one of them. What prompted that move? It had been a difficult month or so for Shami, particularly on the pitch in Hyderabad which doesn’t offer a lot for fast bowlers. We thought it was a good opportunity to get Eshan Malinga back in and Harshal [Patel] and [Jaydev] Unadkat bowled really well. It was just a bit of a change of make-up. ALSO READ | Analysis: The follies of a one-trick pony: Sunrisers Hyderabad and their freefall I play Test cricket and I’m used to bowling with a ball that might seam and swing a little bit. So, I just thought I’d have the first crack. Obviously it [the game against DC] was washed out, but I thought the fielding was the best we fielded and the energy was really good. It would have been nicer if the rain didn’t come that day. Across teams, taking the pace off the ball has worked for the quicks this season. Test match lengths have brought out the best dividends from the surface. How have you personally tweaked your approach? I think in T20, the first two or three overs of a game are when you might be able to bowl a Test match at a line and length. The ball might seam or swing a little bit. But outside of that, it’s time for your yorkers and your solid balls. That said, obviously the focus has been on that first ball, first over… to try and give it a chance to swing and seam. ALSO READ | Daily Quiz: On IPL finals and champions In that match against DC, you picked up a wicket with the first ball of your opening three overs. In hindsight, do you think SRH’s fortunes would have been different had you made the change earlier in the season? No, you never know. I think I was as surprised as anyone [by how well my opening spell against Delhi Capitals was]. I’m normally terrible with my first ball, so that was good. I think the fifth over, it was a proper half volley and I got a wicket. Some days, it comes off and some days you bowl really well but you get hit for runs. That’s T20 cricket. That night was my night. T20 cricket is at the mercy of form. Sometimes you do well, sometimes you don’t. Did the packed schedule, with very little rest between matches, add to the SRH’s troubles this season? I think it’s good that you get an opportunity to play pretty quickly after a loss. We always talk about trying to put a loss aside but learn from it. I think (by) playing so many games within two months, you get to learn pretty quickly. We always concentrate on making sure we judge ourselves over a number of games. But once you have, try to learn those lessons. I think maybe we’re a little bit slow to learn some of those lessons. How have the interactions between the younger players and experienced stars been this season? Anything or anyone you particularly took a shine to? A couple of the young guys you always chat to. Everyone’s pretty relaxed. We’ve got loads of experience in our squad so the youngsters talk to different people. That’s one of the joys of captaining…

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Rishabh Pant’s LSG hosts SRH with IPL 2025 playoff hopes on the line

Rishabh Pant’s LSG hosts SRH with IPL 2025 playoff hopes on the line

Danijones03 mins

LUCKNOW 18/05/2025: Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant during practice session on the eve of their IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Lucknow on Sunday. May 18, 2025 PHOTO SANDEEP SAXENA to protect | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA The eight-day suspension of the IPL threw a spanner in the works for the BCCI, international cricket calendar and fans. However, the break might just be what Lucknow Super Giants needed to steady a stuttering campaign. Three defeats on the trot, and four in the last five, have left its playoff hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads. LSG needs to win its three remaining matches, starting with the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Ekana Stadium here on Monday, and hope teams above them stumble for an improbable top-four finish. While its ₹27 crore captain Rishabh Pant has endured a disappointing run, SRH is one of the teams the left-hander loves facing in the IPL. Pant is one of only seven players to have scored more than 550 runs against SRH and has the highest strike rate (144.61) among them. Super Giants, led by Shardul Thakur’s four-fer, laid bare the weak spots in Sunrisers’ armour when the two met earlier in the season. It was the first of four consecutive defeats for SRH, putting it in the fast lane to elimination. However, the visitor’s washed out game against Delhi Capitals showed how it can perform when the weight of expectations is off its shoulders, something that should keep LSG on its toes. Having lost star pacer Mayank Yadav to injury once again, pressure will be on Shardul, Akash Deep and Digvesh Rathi to ensure that LSG, with the worst economy rate in the PowerPlay (10.54) this season, does not get taken to the cleaners by SRH’s batting arsenal. Published – May 18, 2025 07:30 pm IST

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'They may not need me': David Warner on playing 2025 Champions Trophy | Cricket News

‘They may not need me’: David Warner on playing 2025 Champions Trophy | Cricket News

Danijones07 mins

NEW DELHI: The experienced Australian batsman David Warner is determined to end his international career on a high note, stating that the Australian team will adopt a “fearless” approach during the T20I World Cup in their pursuit of creating history.While Warner has announced his retirement from the longer formats, he has not completely ruled out the possibility of returning for the 2025 Champions Trophy if the Australian team requires an opening batsman.However, he believes that the team may not need his services for that particular event.The T20 World Cup, which has been expanded to include 20 teams, will be hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June. All of Australia’s matches will take place in the Caribbean. The tournament presents a unique opportunity for Australia to achieve a remarkable feat in cricket.The 37-year-old Warner is among a select group of four players, including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head, who have the chance to become the first team in history to simultaneously hold three International Cricket Council trophies, having already won the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup in the past year.“Being part of that potential history, you only sit back and reflect on those things when you’re completely done and dusted,” Warner, who is in Trinidad, said as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald. “I did an interview with the ICC recently asking me about it and all the tournaments I’ve been a part of, and I can’t remember them all, but it’s been great,” he added.However, he continues to hint that it may not be the end, referencing the ICC’s revived Champions Trophy, a mini-World Cup scheduled to be held in Pakistan next year.“They may not need me,” he added with a laugh.Warner was forced to miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season due to an injury to his left hand. Despite this setback, he showcased his readiness by scoring an impressive 54 runs off just 21 deliveries in a practice game against Namibia held in Trinidad last week.Warner, however, will not be participating in any matches until Australia’s opening encounter against Oman, which is scheduled to take place in Barbados on Thursday.Warner’s journey towards bidding farewell to the grand stage has been quite remarkable. In November, Australia emerged victorious against India in India to clinch the ODI World Cup title. Later, in January, he bid adieu to traditional cricket during the Sydney Test match. It is highly anticipated that he will make his final appearance in T20 internationals while playing in the Caribbean.Regardless of when the star batsman decides to hang up his boots, one thing is certain: Warner will undoubtedly give his all and go out with a bang, no matter which team he faces in his final moments on the cricket field.“We’ve always played fearless and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the last few years. We don’t care about our spot in a team, we just care about doing the best that we can, and making sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re trying to be that match winner,” he said.“And the fortunate thing is that we’ve got so many of them. One might come off one day, the next day someone else will come off. So we just know that one person in that top six, if they can get anywhere between 60 to 80 runs at a good strike rate, we know we’re always going to post a good total. It’s the same with the new ball. If Starcy [Mitchell Starc] is swinging the ball, we’ll get early wickets, and that brings the spinners into the game,” he added.Warner is confident that Australia’s resounding triumph against India in the World Cup late last year, coupled with their impressive showing versus South Africa in the semi-final, has provided them with a psychological advantage over their competitors.“If you look at the way that we performed with our backs up against the wall after the first couple of games [losing badly to India and South Africa], you just never count us out,” he said.(With ANI inputs)

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'Pat Cummins wanted me to be attacking and aggressive… that suited my batting': Abhishek Sharma

‘Pat Cummins wanted me to be attacking and aggressive… that suited my batting’: Abhishek Sharma

Danijones09 mins

Abhishek Sharma finished with neither the Orange Cap nor with the winner’s trophy in IPL 2024 but in terms of sheer impact, he should have been somewhere near the top. The Amritsar lad, who turned out for SRH, scored 484 runs at a strike-rate of 204.22 this season and that should be more than enough to make the national selectors sit up and take notice. Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Abhishek Sharma celebrates with Pat Cummins(PTI) The left-handed opener came into the IPL with the disappointment of being dropped for two Ranji Trophy matches by Punjab after helping his state claim their maiden Syed Mustaq Ali T20 Trophy. Abhishek had played a pivotal role in Punjab lifting the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy scoring 485 runs in ten innings at a strike rate of 192.46. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Just after the IPL season came to an end, the 23-year-old allrounder spoke to HT about his red-hot form in the IPL, his national team dreams, Yuvraj Singh’s support and his rapport with India star Gill. Excerpts How would you describe this IPL season? The IPL 2024 was the best one for me till now. I put in a lot of hard work in the prior domestic season and gained confidence. The confidence I gained while playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy for Punjab helped me set goals and perform well. Also, we reached the IPL final and thoroughly enjoyed playing my shots in the tournament. The Icing on the cake would have been if we had beaten KKR in the final to lift the trophy. How did captain Pat Cummins and the SRH management contribute in getting the best out of you in IPL? From the start of the tournament, the SRH captain Pat Cummins and the management were clear that they wanted an aggressive and attacking approach from the team. The message was clear that SRH had to dominate in every game. This approach suited me and I could go out there and express myself in the middle. I like to dominate when I am batting and that’s what I did. SRH finished runners-up in the IPL and the final turned out to be a one-sided affair. What led to the SRH batting collapse? It would have been great to lift the trophy. Travis Head and I had been batting well as a pair for SRH in previous matches and fortunately giving good starts as well. I think when both of us got out in initial overs to some outstanding bowling from Mitchel Starc and others, the other batters could not put together long partnerships. KKR bowlers bowled amazing balls to get the SRH top-order out. After the top-order collapsed, things fell apart and could not be controlled. Two seasons ago, you were captain of Punjab. Did it deter or discourage you when you were removed from captaincy? How did you take it? I was really grateful to get the Punjab team’s captaincy. These are the things for which we strive to do our best. It helped me grow as a cricketer, take responsibility and also make sure to contribute for the team. I made an effort to create an environment in the team where all could express themselves freely on the ground. I was happy that season as we had qualified for the Ranji Trophy QFs after a gap of 4-5 seasons. When I was removed from the captaincy I did not take it to heart and just marched ahead with a sole aim of doing well for my team. You have given a lot of credit to former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh for how he helped shape up your career. Can you throw some light on how he pushed you when things were not working out for you? Yuvi paaji deserves all the credit for believing in me when the chips were down and I was confident. He told me that I had the potential and the calibre to excel at the highest level and how important it is to keep working hard on skills and fitness. I took it very seriously and just worked on those aspects. Now I understand that a time comes for every cricketer when he unleashes his best form. And one has to keep consistency and momentum in practice and training. After the IPL, there is a lot of talk going on that you are knocking the doors of the Indian team. How do you react to this? Giving good performances is definitely in my hands. Giving my best and focusing on this is in my control. Previously also, I have had a feeling that I could make it to the India team but it did not happen. So, I realised the more we think about it, the more we put ourselves under pressure. If that happens and I get selected in the Indian team, my dream would come true. What is your rapport with Shubman Gill? Do you talk regularly either about cricket or old days? How do you rate him as a cricketer? We have that close connection and bond since our U-12 days. Whenever we meet up or bump into each other during games, we chit-chat about things other than cricket. I am very proud of his achievements. I have seen him toil hard for where he is now. We keep in touch and talk regularly and he is also very positive about my game. Shubman is always there to help me sort out things if I am confused.

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'He's got a different skillset': Tim Paine picks seamer Nathan Ellis in Australia's attack for T20 World Cup | Cricket News

‘He’s got a different skillset’: Tim Paine picks seamer Nathan Ellis in Australia’s attack for T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Danijones05 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine advocates for Nathan Ellis to be Australia’s third fast-bowling option in the upcoming T20 World Cup, set to commence on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.Ellis, aged 29, is lauded for his craftiness as a pacer, boasting an arsenal of variations. Despite not securing a permanent spot in the team, he has showcased his talent by claiming 24 wickets in 14 T20Is for Australia.Notably, Ellis served as a reserve player during Australia’s triumph in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE.However, he was omitted from the 15-member squad for the 2022 edition hosted at home.Paine’s endorsement highlights Ellis’s potential to contribute significantly to Australia’s bowling attack in the upcoming tournament.“I think Australia have a great opportunity, and I hope they take it in this World Cup, and that is to pick Nathan Ellis. He would be my third quick. I think he just complements the other guys really well, he’s got a different skillset, comes from a different angle, different height, and thinks some variety in the attack will be really important to win this World Cup,” said Paine to ESPN’s Around The Wicket show.In IPL 2024, Ellis made only one appearance for Punjab Kings, contributing with figures of 1-24 in a rare victory for his team, which struggled and finished second-last in the points table. During Australia’s first T20 World Cup warm-up match against Namibia, Ellis continued to impress, picking up 1-17 from his four overs.Given Ellis’s consistent performances, former Australia Test captain Paine views him as a definite starter for the upcoming tournament. However, Paine believes the selection of the other pacer would be a toss-up between experienced campaigners Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, adding depth and versatility to Australia’s bowling lineup.“I know you are going to ask me straightaway who aren’t you playing…I’m going to go Mitchell Starc, (he) is my out and out number one quick, I’m picking him, obviously going with Adam Zampa, and I’m going to decide between Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.“I’m going to pick one of them and I’m going to go with Nathan Ellis’ all-round skills, his ability to bowl all through the powerplay, I think his slower balls, he’s clever. His international record for the opportunities that he’s been given is outstanding and I think now is the right time.“That’s not to say they (Cummins and Hazlewood) are not the best couple of bowlers in the country, they are outstanding bowlers, and will continue to be, I just think Nathan Ellis complements the rest of that attack really, really well,” he added.Australia are set to face co-hosts West Indies in another warm-up match before kicking off their campaign against Group B opponents Oman at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 5. Subsequently, they will compete against England, Namibia, and Scotland in the league stage of the tournament.This rigorous schedule will provide Australia with ample opportunities to fine-tune their strategies and gauge their form ahead of the crucial matchups in the T20 World Cup. With a blend of experienced players and emerging talents, Australia aim to make a strong statement in pursuit of T20 World Cup glory.(With IANS inputs)

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'MS Dhoni has opposite intensity to Virat Kohli': Former Australian all-rounder compares the two Indian cricket icons | Cricket News

‘MS Dhoni has opposite intensity to Virat Kohli’: Former Australian all-rounder compares the two Indian cricket icons | Cricket News

Danijones05 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has identified Indian cricket icons Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni as the most mentally resilient players he has encountered throughout his extensive career. Watson, who has had a prolific career himself, highlighted Kohli’s mental toughness and unparalleled intensity on the field. Kohli, a right-handed batsman, recently topped the scoring charts in the IPL 2024, amassing 741 runs for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. “There’s only really a couple of other people that I’ve played with or played against who had that consistent intensity every moment of every game. So that’s something about Virat, that we’ve seen in this IPL, just how engaged he is. That’s why he’s been able to sustain such high performances for such a long period of time,” said Watson.On the other side, former Indian captain MS Dhoni is praised for his different approach to the game. Despite a lower intensity level compared to Kohli, Dhoni’s ability to trust his intuition and simplify complex situations into manageable concepts stands out. Even at 42, Dhoni’s strategic acumen and leadership qualities continue to shine.“But then you’ve got on the other side of the fence is MS Dhoni, who is opposite of that intensity from Virat. He doesn’t need to be like nine out of 10 with his intensity level; he needs to be at around six. Even at the ripe of age of 42, he still knows how to be able to let his mind be free to be able to access his skills that are so deeply ingrained,” praised the former Austalia international.Watson also discussed the mental preparation necessary for players transitioning from IPL conditions to international tournaments, such as the Men’s T20 World Cup. He commented, “These are world-class cricketers who are going from an IPL, for example, and they’re gonna have to make little adjustments to the conditions and pitches that they’re gonna be facing. Also, whether it’s temperature, and a new team environment as well. That’s where by understanding these mental skills deeply and applying those into just who you are, you build a really strong, like a bulletproof cocoon around you.”Furthermore, Watson commended Australian captain Pat Cummins for his leadership qualities, particularly his ability to foster an environment where players can express themselves freely and perform without fear of failure. “He gives you the right information to be able to clear your mind so you can, and are getting the best chance of executing your skills. That’s what Pat Cummins does so incredibly well. The reason why in my mind, he’s had so much success is that it’s just natural, which is who he is, how he is and he’s not trying to be someone else,” said Cummins’s compatriot.(Inputs from IANS)

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Dangerous SRH might spoil favourites KKR's party, RR vs RCB start as darkhorse – India TV

Dangerous SRH might spoil favourites KKR’s party, RR vs RCB start as darkhorse – India TV

Danijones010 mins

Image Source : KKRIDERS/SUNRISERS/BCCI/IPL The final push for the trophy begins on Tuesday, May 21 as Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, fight it out for the trophy It has been a long, strange, bizarre yet record-breaking season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which might have witnessed its greatest leader walk off into the sunset. It has been long because 70 games in 58 days is not an easy watch. Strange because 250-plus became almost a routine at one point and some teams almost chased them down too, Punjab Kings actually did it once and there were 160-180 being defended as well on a few occasions. Bizarre because the teams many expected to qualify, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings failed and Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed a shock to rejuvenate themselves and caught the rain at the last second. Kolkata Knight Riders, many had expectations from them but the inconsistency they had shown in the last year, there was uncertainty regarding them with the return of Shreyas Iyer, and Gautam Gambhir fitting in with a new coaching staff. A similar fear existed regarding the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who had a new coach and a new captain and even though both had worked together for Australia. However, there was a a bit of a risk since Sunrisers’ plans have gone pear-shaped in the last three seasons and Pat Cummins had never captained in the format. On the other hand, the team that everyone picked as favourites, Rajasthan Royals, expectedly dominated the tournament for the majority of the first 40 days of the tournament before falling off a cliff to go four losses and one no result in the next five games. Does experience of playing knockouts help? Or the ‘momentum’ word is key. If momentum is anything then RCB should be favourites, however, on the day of the knockout, nothing of that sort matters. The performance on that very day, the ability to soak in pressure and being able to come out of it on the right side will count. The way teams have gone about in this year’s tournament, KKR start favourites. Yes, they will be without one of their enforcers at the top, Phil Salt, who has returned home for international duty but a readymade replacement in the form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz shouldn’t affect them as much as it seemed. Like RCB, who slotted in Glenn Maxwell for Will Jacks. In this aspect, the Royals will suffer the most with Tom Kohler-Cadmore fairly new to the IPL hullaballoo. Apart from that KKR have a fairly settled batting line-up, followed by an all-round bowling attack. The spin chokehold in the middle overs by Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy has probably won KKR a few games on its own and the Sunrisers will have to be careful against those two if they want to seal a spot in the final directly. It is a cracker of a match-up, of both destructive batting line-ups against each other and the team who bowls better could come out as the likely winner. Sunrisers have been inconsistent with the ball as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan and captain Cummins have shown signs of quality in some places have been erratic at others and will have to be careful because, unlike other teams, they have players to give it back in their own way to them and have the bowling as well to contain them. Kolkata Knight Riders definitely start as favourites but the style of play gives the Orange Army a solid edge. But what about the Royals? The ‘Royal’ Challengers have carved out their own place in history with six wins in a row. That is some feat, which will take time to be matched, let alone be bettered. It’s a turnaround for the ages, especially given that apart from their own results, several others had to go their way for them to qualify for two points after eight matches to be in the playoffs. Apart from the Rajat Patidars, the Swapnil Singhs, Cameron Greens, Yash Dayals and Virat Kohlis of the world, the luck and the stars have aligned for RCB this year. Rishabh Pant getting banned just before DC’s game against RCB when both had a chance to seal the playoffs spot, Rajat Patidar getting dropped thrice early in his as many innings and then going on to play rapid knocks, the bash brothers for Delhi Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs both getting run out in the same match, rain washing out Rajasthan Royals’ match and not Hyderabad’s when the prediction of showers was the other way around. Now RCB face an underconfident Royals who are yet to win in May and not Sunrisers, who on their day could bulldoze a team before they even walked out on the field. But the challenge for RCB will be, can they continue with the same momentum in the knockouts because now there are no second chances and emotions will have to be kept aside after what happened in the Garden City a few days ago. Royals is an interesting case because it happened with them last season as they went from looking very good to reach the top four to not making it and now are on a freefall and will need their main players to stand up, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Yuzvendra Chahal and Sandeep Sharma. Royals’ bowling attack is still very potent and solid but the absence of both Shimron Hetmyer and Jos Buttler has hurt them and hope that the former is fit by the time the match starts. Ideally, KKR start favourites but knockouts don’t work on traditional prediction. One good innings, one good over and suddenly the favourites struggle to even get close to the finishing line.  

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'Only tired': Suryakumar Yadav after denting Sunrisers Hyderabad's play-off push | Cricket News

‘Only tired’: Suryakumar Yadav after denting Sunrisers Hyderabad’s play-off push | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: The iconic Wankhede Stadium was ablaze with Suryakumar Yadav‘s exceptional performance. Playing on his home turf, Suryakumar thrilled the crowd with a majestic innings, smashing an unbeaten 102 to propel Mumbai Indians to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad, dealing a blow to their playoff hopes.Mumbai Indians were chasing 174 for the win and stumbled to 31-3, but Suryakumar stitched an unbroken partnership of 143 with Tilak Varma, reaching the target with 16 balls to spare.After guiding the five-time champions to a convincing victory, Suryakumar, who sealed the win with a six that also completed his second IPL century in 51 balls, said he relished his time at the crease. His performance comes well for India ahead of the T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies and the United States.“I have done this after a long time. I fielded for 20 overs and batted for 18 overs, only tired (nothing else to worry about.) I feel it was the need of the hour for me,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation. “I went out to bat, needed someone to bat till the end. I just enjoyed my time. It’s from the Mumbai school of arts, have played a lot of cricket at Wankhede. When the ball stopped seaming, I played all my shots that I practice in the nets. I feel the intent would have been the same, I would have definitely played in the same pattern,” the dashing right-hander said.However, the win for five-time winners Mumbai Indians, placed ninth in the 10-team points table, could be late in a tournament fast moving towards its business end.

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'He breaks you': Skipper Hardik Pandya lauds Suryakumar Yadav after win over Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News

‘He breaks you’: Skipper Hardik Pandya lauds Suryakumar Yadav after win over Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Following Mumbai Indians’ crushing win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), skipper Hardik Pandya praised the stellar performance of Suryakumar Yadav, who changed the course of the game with his brilliant unbeaten century, his second in the IPL, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.MI, who emerged victorious over SRH by seven wickets, finally snapped their four-match losing streak.Suryakumar’s scintillating century, scoring 102 runs off just 51 deliveries, laid the foundation for Mumbai’s commanding win, achieved in 17.2 overs.SRH posted a total of 173 for eight, propelled by opener Travis Head‘s quickfire 48 off 30 balls and a spirited unbeaten knock of 35 runs from Pat Cummins.Hardik and Piyush Chawla shone with the ball for MI, claiming three wickets each to restrict SRH and pave the way for their team’s triumph.“I don’t know the mathematical situation we need to go through but I’m happy with how we went today. Gave 15-20 runs extra but batting was excellent. My bowling – I do the stuff I do. I like bowling good areas and see how it goes. Today it was nipping around and that worked.“The wickets Piyush took are guys who can take the game away. He asked to long from the shorter side but had to adjust. In T20s, more than change-ups consistency is important, which PC was today, and found success with,” Hardik said after the matchHardik termed Suryakumar’s knock unbelievable, stating that he is lucky to have ‘SKY’ in his team.“SKY was unbelievable. More than him getting runs, him putting so much pressure on bowlers that even other batters get loose balls. He breaks you. He’s evolved. Lucky to have him in my team. Hope to have many more such innings,” Hardik concluded.

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MI vs SRH, IPL 2024 Highlights: Ton-up Suryakumar Yadav powers Mumbai Indians to seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News

MI vs SRH, IPL 2024 Highlights: Ton-up Suryakumar Yadav powers Mumbai Indians to seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Suryakumar Yadav‘s exceptional century, combined with disciplined bowling, propelled Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL on Monday.Suryakumar’s explosive innings of 102 not out from 51 balls marked his second IPL century, helping his team secure an emphatic win in just 17.2 overs. SRH had earlier recovered to post 173 for eight.The win moved Mumbai Indians up from the bottom of the points table to ninth place, while SRH, despite the loss, stayed in fourth place with 12 points from 11 games. Joining forces inside the powerplay with MI left reeling at 31 for three, the pair of Suryakumar and Tilak Varma (37 not out off 32) did a superb recovery job with 143-run unbeaten stand to script a comprehensive victory. Suryakumar’s sensational knock included 12 fours and half a dozen sixes.For that matter, MI could have been reduced to 31/4 had a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery in the fifth over not pitched outside the leg stump with the veteran seamer pinning Varma in front of the wickets.Ishan Kishan (9) perished early once again while Naman Dhir (0) endured a nine-ball duck. With their backs against the wall, Suryakumar picked Marco Jansen to attack as he collected 22 runs off the seventh over with two sixes and two fours to begin his job. But shortly after he completed his fifty off 30 balls, Suryakumar was seen stretching and wincing in pain while looking to manage a strain, presumably to his groin — one of the reasons why he missed cricket for nearly four months from late last year.However, to his credit, the world No 1 T20 batter hung around till the end to take MI over the line as he finished the game with a flurry of boundaries — two sixes and as many fours off his last four balls. Apart from Suryakumar’s struggles while batting, the decline in Rohit Sharma‘s form also came to the fore with the India captain mistiming one to be dismissed for a mere four — his fourth score in single digits this IPL in last five outings.Earlier in the first half, Pandya struck form before the T20 World Cup while veteran Chawla also bagged three wickets as Mumbai Indians restricted Sunrisers Hyderabad for a below-par total.Pandya found rhythm and momentum to return 4-0-31-3 while Chawla (4-0-33-3) produced an impactful performance to trouble the SRH batters. However, to his credit, SRH skipper Pat Cummins chipped in with a 17-ball 35 (2x4s, 2x6s) late in the innings to take them past the 150-run mark.In complete contrast to last time these teams met earlier in this IPL when SRH hammered 277/3, their usually free-flowing batters struggled for momentum and lack of initiative meant they could never really trouble the Mumbai bowlers.Travis Head top scored with 48 while skipper Pat Cummins made a quick 17-ball 35 not out.(With inputs from PTI)

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