James Franklin Contradicts Cummins’ Remark on 80-Run Loss vs KKR
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has witnessed some thrilling matches, but the 80-run defeat of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens has left fans and experts alike scratching their heads. The loss was a shocking one, considering SRH’s strong team on paper. In the aftermath of the match, SRH captain Pat Cummins had expressed his thoughts on the game, which didn’t quite align with the views of his coach, James Franklin.
Cummins had stated that SRH had a golden opportunity to restrict KKR to a manageable total, but failed to execute the last 10 overs. “At the halfway stage, KKR were 84 or 85 for two. If we’d managed the back 10 overs better, we probably could have kept them to 170-180, but we didn’t quite execute,” Cummins said in a post-match interview.
However, SRH coach James Franklin has now contradicted Cummins’ remarks, stating that the team’s strategy and execution were spot on, and the loss was simply a result of KKR’s excellent batting. In an interview with a leading sports channel, Franklin said, “I think we managed the game very well. We bowled 39 dots in the first 10 overs, which is a great effort. We didn’t make many mistakes, and our bowlers did a fantastic job of restricting KKR to a gettable total.”
Franklin’s comments have raised eyebrows, as they suggest that SRH’s performance was not as poor as Cummins made it out to be. The SRH coach pointed out that KKR’s top-order batsmen, Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill, played exceptional innings to set the tone for the game. “Iyer and Gill are two of the best batsmen in the league, and they played a fantastic game. We did our best to contain them, but they were just too good on the day,” Franklin said.
Franklin’s disagreement with Cummins highlights the differences in opinion that can exist within a team. While Cummins may have felt that SRH had a golden opportunity to restrict KKR, Franklin believed that the team’s strategy and execution were spot on. This disagreement can be seen as a healthy one, as it encourages constructive criticism and debate within the team.
The 80-run defeat has left SRH reeling, and the team will need to regroup quickly to bounce back from this setback. The loss has also raised questions about the team’s bowling attack, which struggled to contain KKR’s batsmen. Franklin acknowledged that the team needs to work on its bowling, saying, “We need to work on our bowling a bit more. We’ve been decent, but we can do better. We’ll be working on a few things in the next few days to come back stronger.”
In conclusion, the 80-run defeat of SRH against KKR has sparked an interesting debate within the team. While Cummins felt that the team didn’t execute the last 10 overs well, Franklin believes that the team’s strategy and execution were spot on. This disagreement highlights the importance of constructive criticism and debate within a team, and SRH will need to work on its bowling attack to bounce back from this setback.
