In a candid analysis, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra dissected the strategic missteps of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) that marred their performance in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) and could potentially haunt them in the upcoming 2024 season. Despite boasting a roster filled with notable names, SRH languished at the bottom of the points table, a consequence, according to Chopra, of their erratic team selection and deployment.

Chopra highlighted SRH’s tendency to tinker incessantly with their playing combination as a significant factor contributing to their downfall in the previous season. He singled out instances like the mishandling of promising talents like Umran Malik, the Jammu pacer, whose potential remained largely untapped due to inconsistent opportunities and misplaced roles within the team setup.

“When I see their weakness, I feel that their thinking is muddled. The team was good last time as well, but why did they not do well? It’s because they used to change the team in every third match. You spoilt Mayank Agarwal while trying to settle Harry Brook. You didn’t use Umran Malik at all, and when you did, you didn’t use him properly,” Aakash Chopra assessed during a discussion on a YouTube channel.

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Expressing concern over SRH’s leadership and decision-making, Chopra cautioned that the ghosts of past mistakes could linger, posing challenges in the forthcoming season. He criticized the team’s directionlessness towards the latter stages of the tournament, emphasizing the importance of stability and strategic clarity in navigating the rigours of IPL.

“They were absolutely clueless in the end. The captaincy was ordinary, and the team was going like a rudderless ship. Ghosts from the past are there to haunt them a little. I see that as a slight weakness because if you have too many options, you make changes quickly as you have a temptation,” Aakash Chopra remarked.

Regarding SRH’s choice of Pat Cummins as the new captain, Aakash Chopra expressed reservations about the Australian all-rounder’s suitability for the T20 format, citing his limited impact with the ball during crucial phases of the game. He raised doubts about Cummins’ effectiveness in spearheading SRH’s bowling attack, particularly in the powerplay and death overs, which could pose challenges in team selection, especially concerning overseas players.

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“Their captain (Pat Cummins) is a very good player, but we don’t keep him in the gun players’ list in T20s, so much so that he is not even Australia’s captain. He is the ODI captain but not the T20I captain. He doesn’t bowl much in the powerplay and the death,” Aakash Chopra explained, underscoring potential areas of concern for SRH management as they gear up for IPL 2024.