In what comes as a big news from the Indian Premier League (IPL) circuit, former New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori has replaced West Indian legend Brian Lara as the head coach of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Vettori has coached Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the past, being with the franchise from 2014 to 2018. Internationally too, Vettori has rich coaching experience and is currently working as an assistant coach of the Australian men's team.
To put into perspective the chaos in the SRH camp, this will be the fourth coach of the franchise in six seasons. While Tom Moody had assumed the responsibility in the 2019 and 2022, Trevor Bayliss was the coach in 2020 and 2021. Lara got just a solitary season with the Orange Army as their head coach in 2023 and has been removed after the side finished last with four victories and ten defeats from 14 matches.
Apart from his coaching experience with the IPL franchise and the Australian team, Vettori, a veteran of 113 Test matches, is currently enjoying a coaching stint with Birmingham Phoenix men's team at the Hundred. His curriculum vitae also boasts of experience with Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and also with Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League (BBL). Even in the Vitality Blast T20, he has been the coach for Middlesex. In addition, he has worked as a spin-bowling consultant with the Bangladesh men's national cricket team.
Vettori's last season as a coach in the IPL wasn't too bad and perhaps RCB's best run came under him when he saw the then Virat Kohli-led side secure a place in the Playoffs and almost win their elusive title in 2016 before letting that opportunity slip through their hands in a thrilling finale against SRH- the team he will now be joining.