James Franklin, the former New Zealand cricketer, is set to take on the role of the bowling coach for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
In a recent development leading up to the upcoming IPL season, former New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin is poised to take on the role of bowling coach for Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking over from Dale Steyn. This shift comes as Steyn, who initially took on the role in 2022, has opted to step back for personal reasons.
Dale Steyn has reportedly withdrawn from IPL 2024 for personal reasons but plans to rejoin the franchise next year. Joining the team in 2022 as a bowling coach, Steyn played a pivotal role in developing young fast bowlers such as Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, and others.
James Franklin, known for his left-arm seam-bowling skills during his playing career, will make his coaching debut in the IPL with this new position at Sunrisers. With experience with the Mumbai Indians in 2011 and 2012, Franklin brings a wealth of knowledge to the coaching role.
Franklin will be taking charge of coaching the seasoned bowling lineup of SRH, which includes Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins, Marco Jansen, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jaydev Unadkat, and the uncapped Indian Akash Singh. Spinners Wanindu Hasaranga, Washington Sundar, and Shahbaz Ahmed are also part of the team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad has faced challenges in the last two seasons, finishing eighth in 2022 and tenth last year. The management has changed, with Tom Moody replaced by former West Indies captain Brian Lara, who, in turn, was dropped after just one season.
James Franklin is well aware of these challenges and aims to positively impact the team in the upcoming season. With a strong roster this time, Sunrisers Hyderabad has the potential to make a mark, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they secure their second title in the league.
As the much-anticipated IPL season approaches, all eyes will be on the duo of Franklin and Vettori, the dynamic coaching duo entrusted with the mission of restoring Sunrisers Hyderabad to its former glory. Their challenge is no small feat – bringing stability to a team that has seen its fair share of ups and downs in both leadership and performance.
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