IPL 2023: Bhuvneshwar Kumar to lead SRH in the opening Match

After Hyderabad's opening game against the Rajasthan Royals on April 2, Markram will land in India on April 3.

In place of skipper Aiden Markram, pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar will guide the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening game. Kumar is pictured standing next to the captains of the other nine franchises at the formal unveiling of this season's trophy in a tweet from the Indian Premier League account.

The two-match ODI series that Markram is presently playing against the Netherlands in South Africa could have a significant impact on their ability to qualify for the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2023. After Hyderabad's opening game against the Rajasthan Royals on April 2, Markram will land in India on April 3.

Bhuvneshwar has previous experience as a team skipper, having led the team for six matches in 2019 and once in 2022.

After helping the Sun Group-owned Sunrisers Eastern Cape side win the first SA20 championship, 28-year-old Markram staked his claim. In the competition, he amassed 336 runs, including a century in the semifinal, and claimed 11 wickets. Additionally, the Proteas all-rounder had a fantastic IPL season in 2017, scoring 381 runs at an average of 47.63, with a strike rate of over 139, and three half-centuries.

Markram replied in the affirmative when asked if he would be amenable to captaining the team in the prestigious IPL. During the SA20, Markram had stated, "What's going to happen, to be honest... either way, we back the management's decision about who they want to be in charge of."