New sun rises among IPL stars

HYDERABAD: For some time in the IPL-9 final on Sunday, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) looked like they would end their campaign in the manner they started: with a pasting from Royal Challengers Bangalore. That they turned it around showed how well they rallied when it mattered the most, and is a tribute to the bulldog tenacity that skipper David Warner instilled in the team.
"It is not about me," Warner said."It is about the team. I have said this from the start, it takes a team to win a tournament. The success that we have at the moment goes to all the support the team gets, that is, from off the field: from the boss, the chairman, his wife, our support staff, the players that don't play, the 11 players who walk out on the field. It comes down to a team effort. It is a family effort. And that is why we are here today with the cup."
The 'pocket rocket' carried the batting burden of his team - he is the second highest scorer in the tournament with 848 runs. But he was helped in no mean measure by a slew of bowlers who showed the world their adeptness in bowling at the death.
In fact, the Sunrisers bagging their first IPL trophy is a commendable feat considering that they joined the competition in 2013 after Deccan Chargers, who won the title in 2009, were expelled.
"We were confident at the start of this year that we had a balanced side, a side that had depth," SRH head coach, Tom Moody, said. "In previous years, we didn't have the depth we have in this squad. So, we could cover up for injuries to Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh, who both had only 50% of the tournament. We were quite shrewd in the auction and it paid off," he explained.
The picks at the auction included Yuvraj Singh for Rs 7 crore, Ashish Nehra for Rs 5.5 crore, Barinder Sran for Rs 1.2 cr and best of all, the canny Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who befuddled batsmen with his cutters and change of pace, for just Rs 1.4 crore.
The Sunrisers, who went as far as the qualifiers in their first attempt in 2013, looked a better side ever since they acquired Warner from Delhi Daredevils in 2014. The skipper's can-do spirit has been infectious down the ranks, which comprised international skippers like Eoin Morgan of England and Kane Williamson of New Zealand.
"Davey's (Warner) contributions this year has been magnificent," said Morgan. "He's played magnificently well. Batting hasn't fared particularly well this year, but we saw Davey's form and used that as a little bit of momentum as often as we could. Our bowling unit has been outstanding at death bowling and our swing bowling at the beginning has made huge inroads towards winning this tournament," he added.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Purple Cap holder with the most number of wickets (23) in the tournament, has been at his best, giving the Sunrisers crucial wickets upfront and denying the opposition a good scoring start, which is crucial in the T20 format. The final match was an exception where Bhuvneshwar did not strike early. But even when Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli sent the Sunrisers on a leatherhunt, they did not wilt under pressure.
"It was about being relaxed, having that self-belief and not panicking," Warner said. "One thing I must point out is the outstanding performance of Bhuvneshwar Kumar this whole tournament, and obviously, the emerging Mustafizur Rahman. It's a credit to them, the way they played this whole tournament. Bhuvi has been in and out of the Indian team, but to me he is a world-class finisher. As an opening batsman, I wouldn't want to come up against him on a wicket like this, because he sets the tone from ball one."
Nehra played a big role too, till he was laid low by injury. But that, in essence, has been the Sunrisers story - players chipping in at crucial junctures. If it was Ben Cutting in the final, it was Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Morgan, Williamson, Deepak Hooda and Bipul Sharma at different times.
"Ashish Nehra was fantastic at the start of the season," said SRH mentor VVS Laxman. "Nehra has been sensational, working with Bhuvi, working with Sran, even advising Mustafizur because he's playing his first IPL, a big platform for him. He's a great leader within the group and that's what we want. Nehra is not only an exceptional bowler, but a great statesman. He helps in the development of each and every player who plays with him."
Williamson too was spot on: "It was a brilliant team effort throughout this campaign and like Morgan said, a number of guys stepped up, which is important in a long tournament like this. Great tournament all round."
The Sunrisers might have lacked superstars, but they more than made up for it with their drive. The eight-run win over Royal Challengers is an affirmation that good guys - SRH won the Fairplay award too - don't finish last.