Three defeats in its first four IPL 2026 games had already set alarm bells ringing around Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign.

The explosive batting line-up looked capable of brilliance one day and collapse the next, while concerns over an inexperienced bowling attack only grew louder with every setback.

Less than a month later, the narrative has flipped completely.

Sunrisers now sit atop the table, playing with the swagger and assurance of genuine title contenders, courtesy of batters finding their rhythm and a young pace attack that has exceeded expectations before skipper Pat Cummins’ return.

“I can’t take too much credit for Sunrisers Hyderabad being on top of the table. I have only played the last three or four games. These boys have been flying the whole season,” Cummins said of his pacers Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain and, Eshan Malinga on the sidelines of the launch of Apollo Hospitals’ Centre of Excellence for Sports Injuries.

“Hyderabad has been great to me the last couple of years. It’s a very easy bunch of players to look after. Everyone knows what they want to do out there, so it’s easy for me to stay nice and calm and just let the guys shine because they are all superstars,” he said on Friday.

The 33-year-old said adaptability and resilience remain crucial in an unforgiving league, especially for bowlers.

“As quicks, the odds are stacked against you a lot in the IPL with its big scores. It also presents an opportunity to bounce back after a bad over; your next one could still win you the match… You are not going to win every game of the season, so it’s about not stressing too much about it.”

Joining the outfit mid-season as he made his way back from injury, Cummins swears by prioritising recovery regardless of the schedule.

“When you get into a tournament, playing is obviously the priority. I don’t do a lot of bowling outside of games. It’s mainly about recovery. Most of my focus outside of the game is actually on preparing my plans. The actual physical prep is mainly done in the gym or resting.”

He also underlined the importance of not obsessing over the game.

“I want to be as fresh as I can, so I switch off from cricket as much as I can. I feel like when I need to switch on in the game, I have enough bandwidth to give it my full focus.”