Cummins has not led a side in the IPL before - in fact, he has not led a team in top-flight T20 cricket before - but his appointment comes after a successful period as captain of Australia, during which he led them to victory in the World Test Championship and the 2023 ODI World Cup, with both wins in the finals coming against India.

The move means that SRH will have the flexibility of playing their new signings - Australian batter Travis Head and Sri Lankan legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga - in addition to finisher Heinrich Klaasen instead of Markram if they want to do so, while Cummins slots in as the overseas fast bowler. Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi and South Africa's Marco Jansen are the other overseas quicks in the squad, while New Zealand's Glenn Phillips rounds off their roster of eight overseas players.

Cummins will be SRH's third captain in three seasons. Kane Williamson led them to an eighth-place finish in 2022 before he was released ahead of the 2023 season, in which SRH finished last under Markram's captaincy with only four wins in 14 league games. Markram scored only 248 runs at a strike rate of 129 in IPL 2023, and he remains in the SRH squad for the upcoming season. In the SA20, Cricket South Africa's T20 league, Markram had led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise to back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.

SRH begin their IPL 2024 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on March 23, and then play Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad on March 27.