IPL 2013: Sunrisers reborn,thanks to Darren Sammy

Sammy might not quite possess a profusion of talent like a number of his fellow West Indians,and he seldom attracts the kind of attention showered upon Chris Gayle,Dwayne Bravo or Kieron Pollard. But he doesn’t mind it one bit. Especially since he’s kept abreast of them with his performances.

It was his starry show with the ball,with figures of 4/22,that led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a crucial victory over Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Saturday. Sammy has also chipped in with the bat in the lower-order. Despite having arrived only during the third week of the tournament,Sammy’s also emerged as the most popular member of the Sunrisers’ dressing-room. Not surprising,considering the values that he thrives on in life. And it’s not just his match-winning all-round skills but his positive attitude to life and cricket that has helped him win over his new teammates in this his first season of IPL cricket.

In an interview with this paper last year,Sammy had recalled having been the entertainer of the village he grew up in. The God-fearing Sammy,who grew up wanting to become a pastor and still quotes from the Bible regularly,has also given his family the highest priority,regardless of the success and failure on the field.

You can rarely have a conversation with Sammy in which he doesn’t insist on his marriage having been the turning point of his life,and the change in his outlook towards life that wife Cathy and his first two children Daan and Darjhan have inspired. Sammy also never wastes an opportunity to attribute his success as West Indies captain,despite all the criticism surrounding his ascension to the helm,to his faith in religion and the support of his family.

It’s not surprising then that he perennially wears his wedding ring as a pendant on his chain,which of course now has a pacifier for company.

While Hyderabad’s record since his arrival is presently locked at 3-3,they did get their campaign back on track with a Sammy-inspired victory in Mohali. And Royal Challengers Bangalore’s loss in Ranchi on Sunday has opened the door for Hyderabad for making a serious claim for a playoff spot. A win against Mumbai at Wankhede will not be an easy proposition. But the Sunrisers will go into Monday’s clash all guns blazing while also hoping that Sammy gets plenty of opportunities to dish out his baby moves.