Bold call from Pat Cummins? SRH opt to bat vs KKR in IPL final on red-soil pitch

The rub of green went Pat Cummins’s way during the toss at the IPL 2024 final as SRH won the toss and opted to bat against table-toppers KKR in Chennai. Cummins did not hesitate to pick batting first as it seemed the SunRIsers wanted to rely on their strength — post a big total and pressure on the opposition — in the big-ticket final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk.

SRH vs KKR, IPL Final Updates | Scorecard

Pat Cummins’s reading of the pitch and conditions in the World Cup 2023 earned a lot of praise after Australia defeated India while chasing a target. Cummins explained his call on Sunday, saying that their strength has been defending totals so far in the season. Notably, SRH have won 6 out of 9 times they batted first in the season so far.

“Our attacking game doesn’t work every time, but when it does, it’s very damaging. We’ve had no dew the other night, I don’t feel there’ll be any today, I want to crack with the bat first. We have done well defending scores,” he said.

Notably, SunRisers won the Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan in Chennai, defending a 175-run total on Friday. Contrary to expectation, the dew did not arrive on Friday, making it easy for the SunRisers bowlers to execute their cutters and slower ones on a pitch that was two-paced.

However, the pitch for the big IPL 2024 final was predicted to be a belter of a surface for batters. Unlike the Qualifier 2, a red-soil pitch with extra bounce was used for the final.

“It’s a good decision. In a final, put pressure on that batting unit of KKR,” AB de Villiers told JioCinema, lauding Cummins’s decision to bat.

“He has backed what’s worked for his team. That’s why they have opted to bat first. It must have been an easy decision to make,” Uthappa said.

Incidentally, Hyderabad teams with Australian captains batted first in both finals they won in the past. Adam Gilchrist’s Deccan Chargers batted first against RCB in 2009 and David Warner’s SunRisers batted first against RCB in 2016.