IPL 2026: Bowling unit will need tactical tinkering despite Praful, Sakib brilliance, says SRH coach Vettori

Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain announced themselves in emphatic fashion on their Sunrisers Hyderabad debuts, picking up four wickets each against Rajasthan Royals and easing long-standing concerns around the team’s bowling.

Praful made an immediate impact with a searing opening spell, the 24-year-old dismantling the top order with three wickets in a single over. Sakib matched him with a composed, disciplined effort, ensuring the pressure never relented. Together, they provided the sharpness with the ball that Sunrisers had long been searching for.

Head coach Daniel Vettori, while encouraged by the performance against the Royals, suggested that adjustments could still be made based on how conditions play out.

“We’re playing on the same wicket as the last game. We’re anticipating it to be slightly different and that means we may have to make some tactical changes,” he said.

Vettori also downplayed concerns over modest returns from openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.

“Every opening partnership aims to be ultra-aggressive, but it’s unrealistic to expect that to come off every time. We want to stick with that approach because when those two fire, we usually win,” he said.

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“We’ve got a strong batting line-up behind them, and they’ve stepped up when the opening stand hasn’t delivered. But when it clicks, it’s one of the best partnerships in the competition. Other teams play in a similar way, so we know how important it is and want them to keep that freedom.”

He also confirmed that Pat Cummins could make his first appearance of the season for SRH against the Rajasthan Royals on April 25.

Published on Apr 17, 2026