Franklin replaces Steyn as Sunrisers’ bowling coach for IPL 2024

NewsESPNcricinfo understands that Steyn has pulled out of the tournament for personal reasons

This will be James Franklin’s first coaching stint at the IPL  •  Getty Images

Former New Zealand allrounder James Franklin will replace Dale Steyn as the bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Steyn, who was appointed in the role by Sunrisers in 2022, has pulled out for personal reasons.

For Franklin, who played for Mumbai Indians in 2011 and 2012, this will be his first coaching stint at the IPL. At Sunrisers, Franklin, a former left-arm seam-bowling allrounder, will link up with Daniel Vettori, who was appointed as the head coach by the franchise after the 2023 season. The pair has previously worked together at both Middlesex (county cricket) as well as Birmingham Phoenix (the Hundred). Franklin had also served as a head coach at Durham, and currently is at the PSL as an assistant coach at Islamabad United.

Sunrisers have a host of quicks in their ranks including Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins, Marco Jansen, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jaydev Unadkat and the uncapped Indian Akash Singh. The spinners’ lot include Wanindu Hasaranga, Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Ahmed.

Vettori and Franklin will be confronted with a stiff challenge considering Sunrisers had finished eighth in 2022 and slid further to tenth last year. One key contributing factor for the team’s regression has been the frequent change in leadership. Former Australia allrounder Tom Moody was replaced last year by former West Indies captain Brian Lara, who was dropped after just one season.

Heading into the 2023 player auction, Sunrisers released one of their most senior players in Kane Williamson, who had led the franchise since David Warner was released in 2021. Williamson played for Sunrisers for eight seasons, including the title-winning run in 2016 and was retained in 2022 as their most expensive player. Since last season, South Africa batter Aiden Markram has held the captaincy.

Nagraj Gollapudi is news editor at ESPNcricinfo