David Payne, the 35-year-old Gloucestershire star, made an immediate impact in his Indian Premier League debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) just hours after arriving in India as an injury replacement. The IPL’s opening fixture saw SRH fall to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), but Payne’s performance stood out amid a challenging situation.
Having recently won ILT20 and Big Bash titles with Desert Vipers and Perth Scorchers respectively, Payne joined SRH late to fill in for Australia’s Jake Edwards, who was sidelined. The injury to Brydon Carse, initially expected to play, forced the team to bring Payne in at short notice after he landed from an overnight flight with minimal rest.
Despite the tough circumstances, Payne bowled three overs conceding 35 runs and also contributed six not out with the bat. His first over was expensive, going for 18 runs in the 10th over of the RCB innings, but he quickly regained control by taking consecutive wickets of Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma. A near hat-trick effort was narrowly missed when Tim David survived the next ball.
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SRH head coach Daniel Vettori praised Payne’s adaptability and effectiveness in unfamiliar conditions, stating, “We put him in a tough situation tonight, but he showed he can be effective even on these excellent wickets.” Vettori also expressed confidence in the team’s future options with the anticipated returns of Pat Cummins and Brydon Carse alongside Payne.
SRH posted a competitive 201 despite a rocky start of 33-3, but RCB chased the target aggressively in just 15.4 overs, thanks to impactful half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli. Vettori acknowledged the challenges faced against such a strong batting lineup, criticizing his team’s bowling discipline and missed opportunities after early breakthroughs.
Looking ahead, SRH prepares to face Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, aiming to bounce back from their opening match defeat.