Pat Cummins. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
In the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Australia pacer Mitchell Starc became the costliest player after getting a lucrative contract of INR 24.75 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Another player that attracted attention at the business event was Australia One-Day International (ODI) and Test skipper Pat Cummins, who got sold to the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for INR 20.50 crore.
After this deal, several cricket fans felt SRH could’ve got a better pacer than Cummins as the Aussie stalwart’s record isn’t impressive in IPL. Following this discussion, it’s essential to look at his record in the cash-rich league. Playing 42 games, the 30-year-old has picked up 45 wickets at an ordinary economy of 8.54.
Cummins became the most expensive player in the 2020 IPL, getting picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 15.50 crore. In the tournament, he failed to justify his price with only 12 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 7.86. In 2021, he featured in KKR colours again but failed to do big.
These numbers reveal that Cummins hasn’t been at his best in the league and at the business event in Dubai, they could’ve targetted a bowler who is in spectacular form recently or has a decent record in the T20 extravaganza played every year. Discussing more, let’s know three players SRH should’ve followed in the auction instead of the Aussie captain
Let’s look at the three players SRH should have picked instead of Pat Cummins:
3. Dilshan Madushanka
Dilshan Madushanka Bowling. (Photo Source : Gettyimages/Hannah Peters)
Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka hit the headlines during the 2023 World Cup due to his disciplined bowling. The pacer took 21 wickets in nine matches of the marquee One-Day International (ODI) event and ended up as the third-leading wicket-taker in the competition.
Following his impressive bowling performance, Mumbai Indians (MI) reserved his services for the upcoming IPL edition, for INR 4.6 crore in the auction. At the event, MI got stiff competition from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) but the former looked stubborn on the auction table and succeeded in fetching the Sri Lanka stalwart eventually.
Madushanka, who looked confident on Indian tracks recently, could’ve been better for SRH than Cummins. The 23-year-old isn’t as experienced as Cummins but in his brief career, he has recorded a notable achievement to his profile. Back in the 2022 Asia Cup, he grabbed six wickets and helped his side bag the Asia Cup trophy for the sixth time. Madushanka has also played a lot of cricket in sub-continent tracks which makes him familiar with Indian conditions.
2. Chris Woakes
Chris Woakes will don the Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) jersey in the 2024 IPL. The franchise splurged INR 4.2 crore in the auction to get him for the upcoming tournament. The England stalwart has served KKR, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the past.
Talking about his record, he has played 21 games and got 30 wickets at an economy of 8.97. Woakes’ average (21.93) is better than that of Cummins (30.16). Unlike Cummins, the England veteran also possesses a lot of experience in league cricket. Noting both factors, one can say that Woakes would’ve been a better option for SRH at a reasonable amount, rather than Cummins, who was signed up for an enormous price.
1. Gerald Coetzee
Gerald-Coetzee. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Gerald Coetzee looked extraordinary for South Africa in the 2023 World Cup and became the talk of the town. He bagged 20 wickets in eight contests and ended up as the fifth-leading wicket-taker in the tournament. His scintillating performance enticed some franchises in the 2024 IPL auction, and they fought a fierce bidding battle for him.
In the end, MI got the Protea player for INR 5 crore after getting the better of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and LSG. Young Coetzee could’ve saved SRH’s big bucks that the franchise spent on the Aussie, who is similar to the Protea quick. Like Cummins, Coetzee also has sheer pace and variations in his armoury.
