Will Pat Cummins play vs CSK? Vettori clarifies as SRH plan tactical shift

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori has clarified that skipper Pat Cummins will not feature in their upcoming IPL clash against Chennai Super Kings, despite rejoining the squad on Friday, April 17.

Cummins, who has been managing his workload and fitness, is expected to arrive in Hyderabad on the eve of the match. However, Vettori confirmed that the Australian pacer will only be available for selection from April 25, when SRH take on Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

"He's flying today so he will be with us I think this evening," Vettori said. "The plan is for the 25th," he added, putting to rest any speculation around Cummins' immediate return.

The SRH skipper had earlier outlined a cautious comeback plan, aiming to peak in the latter half of the tournament. "I'm back bowling. I'm bowling basically every third day at the moment. We've mapped out a plan to get me right by the middle of the tournament. So hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, I'll play the back half, plus the final," Cummins had said before the season.

Cummins had initially linked up with the squad on March 27, staying on for their opening matches against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders before returning to Australia for a fitness assessment. Having now cleared those checks, he is set to rejoin the group, though his on-field return will be delayed.

In his absence, Sunrisers Hyderabad endured an inconsistent start, particularly with their pace attack. But the emergence of young quicks Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain has offered a timely boost. The duo impressed with four-wicket hauls in the previous outing against Rajasthan, helping SRH rediscover balance in their bowling unit.

Vettori acknowledged their impact but hinted that SRH could still tweak their combination against Chennai, depending on conditions in Hyderabad.

"Obviously we're very, very satisfied with the way that bowling group bowled but we're going to have to check conditions again," he said. "We're playing on the same wicket as the last game and obviously Hyderabad's been exceptionally hot, so anticipating the wicket may be slightly different to the last one and that may mean that we have to make some changes. But they'll be tactical changes, obviously because the bowling group was so effective last game."

Reflecting on the previous performance, Vettori singled out the collective bowling effort that dismantled Rajasthan's top order.

"9 for 5, that's what impressed me the most. Look I think particularly against [Vaibhav] Sooryavanshi and [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, who have been so incredibly successful since they've become an opening partnership, to have no fear going into that bowling spell, two guys who I don't think ever bowled to either of them before maybe a little bit in domestic cricket but just still to have the confidence to go on and stick to their plans. That was impressive," he said.

For SRH, the immediate challenge remains navigating a crucial fixture without their captain, even as they prepare for a tactical reshuffle against a formidable Chennai side. Cummins' return may be around the corner, but for now, Hyderabad must continue to rely on their evolving bowling unit to carry momentum forward.

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