New Chandigarh: Pat Cummins Has played just seven matches this IPL season, missing the first half as he recovers from a lower back injury. When he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad mid-season, the team was floundering a bit and was outside the top four in the points table. Now, with the league phase over, SRH find themselves in the play-offs for the second time in three years, with Cummins leading the team to five wins in the last seven. This is not a coincidence.James FranklinSRH’s assistant coach, knows exactly what Cummins brings to the team. His contribution goes beyond the ball he throws. “We all know his (Cummins’) great qualities as a leader, not just for SRH but for Australia as well,” Franklin said ahead of the eliminator clash between Sunrisers and Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. “I think, especially, when you talk about the young bowlers in our team, they have a captain who’s also a bowler and he really has that kind of compassionate side to him. Compassion makes Pat a special captain.Franklin said that understanding comes from Cummins knowing what a bowler feels at the top of his mark, under pressure and with the game on the line. He reads these moments not as a distant captain but as someone who has lived them. “He understands what bowlers are feeling at the top of their mark when they’re under pressure, what ball they’re likely going to bowl, how they’re going to try and execute it,” Franklin said. “He has that understanding and he knows what’s going to happen.”Cummins’ leadership has made a clear difference in the SRH dressing room. Young fast bowlers, such as Parful Hang and Saqib Hussain, are confident that their captains will not only demand execution but also guide them in pressure situations. “It’s fantastic for the young guys; they know they’ve got a captain who really understands how they’re feeling,” Franklin said. “Pat’s guidance for him in moments of pressure is one of his strongest qualities as a leader.“This guidance becomes most important during a knockout match. Asked how Cummins handles the weight of a knockout game, Franklin said, “Pat just brings the game back to normal and I think the players respond to that brilliantly. The mood within the group is the same. It’s incredibly consistent.”
