Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered yet another injury blow on Thursday, with England left-arm pacer David Payne ruled out for the rest of the IPL season after picking up an ankle problem. The setback adds to a difficult stretch for the franchise, which has already been forced to manage multiple absences in the ongoing campaign.
Key takeaways
- David Payne has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL season due to an ankle injury.
- Payne appeared in SRH’s opening two games, taking two wickets, including a strong spell against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- SRH are currently fourth in the points table after registering two wins and three defeats.
- Pat Cummins has passed his fitness test and is expected to rejoin the squad shortly, with a likely return on April 25 versus Rajasthan Royals.
- Ishan Kishan is captaining the side in Cummins’ absence, with SRH winning 2 of their 5 matches under him.
- SRH recently beat top-ranked Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs after RR were dismissed for 159 while chasing 217.
Payne’s injury ends his season for SRH
SRH confirmed on Thursday that David Payne will not be available for the rest of the Tata IPL campaign following his ankle injury. The 35-year-old was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s first two fixtures, contributing with the ball by claiming two wickets across those outings. One of his notable efforts came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where his spell stood out for its control and wicket-taking impact.
The franchise, which won the title in 2016, has found the season particularly tough on the injury front. Earlier in the campaign, another England player, Brydon Carse, was also ruled out after suffering a hand injury at the start of the tournament. To cover the loss, SRH moved to bring Sri Lanka fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka into the squad as Carse’s replacement.
Cummins set to return as Kishan leads
While Payne’s absence worsens SRH’s personnel concerns, the team received a major boost on Thursday morning. Their designated captain, Pat Cummins, cleared his fitness test and is expected to join the squad soon. Cummins is likely to be available for the SRH vs Rajasthan Royals match scheduled for April 25 in Jaipur.
Until Cummins returns, Ishan Kishan is steering the side. Under his captaincy, SRH have managed to win two of their five matches so far in the season. The team currently occupies fourth place in the points standings, sitting on a net run rate of plus 0.576.
Recent win over Rajasthan Royals sets up next challenge
SRH carried momentum into the next phase after defeating the table-topping Rajasthan Royals on Monday. The win was powered by a standout bowling performance from debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, who finished with four wickets each. Rajasthan were restricted to 159 runs in 19 overs while chasing a target of 217, and the Royals eventually lost the match by 57 runs.
After that victory, Sunrisers Hyderabad will turn their attention to their next assignment against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings. The match is set for Saturday at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.
