New Delhi: Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) hopes of a successful 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign hinges on their ability to bully opposition bowlers and consistently out-bat rival sides.
The 2016 IPL winners have shattered batting and six-hitting records across the last two seasons, yet they have fallen short of winning the title due to lack of firepower in their bowling line-up. “When I look at Sunrisers, it almost reminds me of the West Indies at the T20 World Cup, an extremely powerful batting lineup. But when I look at the squad, I ask myself, who are my wicket-takers? From a captaincy point of view, who am I throwing the ball to?
“Obviously, Cummins is the captain, so he is the go-to option. But apart from him, who are the other guys? Who are the two or three bowlers that are my bankers at the death and who will get me wickets in the powerplay? Looking at the names, I am not entirely sure who those guys are.
“So if they are going to have a successful campaign, they will have to bully opposition bowlers and build scoreboard pressure by out-batting teams. Then when the opposition comes out to bat, they look at the scoreboard, chasing 260, they get out,” said du Plessis on JioStar.
That bowling imbalance was also pointed out by former India pacer Laxmipathy Balaji, who felt the trade of Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was a blow to the side’s resources with the ball. “I was a bit surprised by Mohammed Shami’s trade between SRH and LSG. Of course, Harshal Patel is another option and he has experience when it comes to death bowling.
“But apart from that, the bowling lineup looks very thin. They have tried Jaydev Unadkat in the past and he will bowl a couple of overs up front as well. Then there is Shivam Mavi, another bowler who has struggled with injuries over the years.
“In the spin department too, they do not have a recognised go-to option. Yes, Zeeshan Ansari, a domestic leg-spinner, has done well. That is probably why they may have to go pace-heavy, with Ansari as their primary spin option.”
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone is among the high-profile batting additions SRH have made heading into the new season, though du Plessis offered a cautious word on expectations around him, adding that he’s yet to deliver on his considerable promise across several IPL stints. IANS
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