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Follow UsThroughout the evening at Chepauk, it seemed like a throwback to a time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) was an exercise of restraint and aggression. It was like when competitive IPL games used to be tuned around scores of 175-185. It is where a lot could go wrong, but a lot could go your way as well. Eventually, it was distilled down to those who could persevere for a long time. Just like the old time.
On a fresh wicket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 24 (Friday), the toss had become a paramount factor. Pat Cummins, after losing the toss, agreed that not bowling first would be a disadvantage, but there’s a reason why following the IPL in May is such a fun exercise. Most things don’t conform to the established order in the second half of the season.
And they certainly didn’t on Friday, as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defended 175 to set up the final date with a red-hot Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the back of a complete performance with the ball and on the field.
The way Cummins marshalled the spin unit and the way fielders put up everything to save each run told a story of a side determined to make it to the final. Even though they have a harrowing history at Chepauk, a venue where they had won only one game in ten attempts, the Sunrisers seemed to have no baggage of the past. It helped that the stadium wasn’t filled with platoons of yellow.
Let’s talk about the bowling first. Throughout the season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ditched their spin-first philosophy to operate mostly with Tushar Deshpande and Shardul Thakur at Chepauk - but for the Sunrisers, it was a new game, and they played according to their style.
They did that by trusting Shahbaz Ahmed more and more in the middle overs. By sending Tom Kohler-Cadmore back to the pavilion early in the run-chase, Cummins had a leap of faith, and others just needed to ride that wave.
Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal going gung-ho, Shahbaz Ahmed bowled more attacking lines to the likes of Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, essentially forcing them to play their shots on a typical two-paced wicket. As a result, Shahbaz Ahmed, who was inducted as an impact player in the first innings when things went haywire with the bat for the 2016 champions, helped himself and others like Abhishek Sharma be amongst the wickets.
“I don't know all the background to how the deal was done, but what I do know is we've got a multi-skilled player who's very experienced, can bat at the top of the order or, in fact, in the middle of the order, can bowl nearly anywhere in an innings, more so maybe the power play and the middle overs,” SRH’s assistant coach Simon Helmot said of Shahbaz in the post-match press conference.
“I think when the opportunity presented, Dan [Vettori] and those making the decisions at SRH were wise in making that trade. He's played many games for us, and he's been an important element. He helps balance out our side.”
It was also more than just that. Just forcing Samson and Parag to play your shots may not always end up with wickets like it did on Friday evening, but when your captain trusts your skills to give you an attacking field set, that automatically translates to something more tangible. With Rajasthan holding themselves back in the middle overs, perhaps waiting for a big over, Cummins had his men ready on the leg side to pounce on anything and everything that came their way.
Even though one of the many charismatic efforts from Rahul Tripathi didn’t help them save the six, it showed how much effort SRH were ready to put in. On an evening where Rajasthan Royals (RR) could dispel them for playing rash shots – check Riyan Parag's dismissal once again – the Sunrisers didn’t want to leave anything in the tank.
“I think a lot of credit goes to our captain,” Helmot said.
“I think he made a decision at the time where he felt the conditions were conducive to spin. There were two right-handers in at the time. He felt that a left-arm orthodox spinner would be a good option at work with one. The Abhishek one, I haven't asked Pat this, but I dare say it may have been a gut feeling. If that's the case, it was a wonderful decision because it changed the game's complexion.
“But I suppose it goes down to the philosophy of how our SRH should play this year. Pat and Dan have a very good relationship and are keen to explore different ideas, which gives players real freedom to go and play and do what they need to do out in the middle.”
Rolling back to batting, how the Sunrisers responded to unfavourable conditions added a dimension to their season's journey. Backs against the wall on a wicket where pacers had an early say, with their in-form batter Abhishek Sharma dismissed in the first over, the Sunrisers could have been forgiven for not posting a decent total.
Yet, they were flexible enough to change their philosophy for good. Travis Head took a backseat role, whereas a resurgent Rahul Tripathi caressed his way through to post a 15-ball 37. Without any substantial lower-order contributions, the Cummins-led outfit managed to post 175 thanks to a patient innings from Heinrich Klaasen. You expect players to do that for you but look at the context and how the wicket behaved under lights. You’d then believe why it was special.
The last couple of seasons for Sunrisers Hyderabad have been harrowing. They ended up at the bottom of the table in 2023 and this season, the turnaround has already been a case study for man management and focused iteration of roles.
Mapping them to what has essentially been a rock-solid year is how we know the final on Sunday will not only be a game between two skilful units in the Indian Premier League 2024 but also between two of the league's most determined sides.
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