Have Delhi Capitals Exposed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Batting Order?

In the 10th match of IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals completely dismantled Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting lineup. SRH had high hopes of posting a massive 300-run total but collapsed under pressure, managing only 163 runs, a complete batting failure. After winning the toss, Sunrisers Hyderabad opted to bat first but suffered an early collapse. They were reduced to 32/4 as Mitchell Starc (5/35) dismantled the top order, dismissing Ishan Kishan (2), Nitish Kumar Reddy (0), and Travis Head (22). Aniket Verma played a brilliant knock of 74 off 41 balls, supported by Heinrich Klaasen (32 off 19), pushing SRH to 163 in 18.4 overs. 

Kuldeep Yadav also shined with 3/22. Chasing 164, Delhi Capitals got off to a strong start with Faf du Plessis smashing 50 off 27 balls, including three sixes. Jake Fraser-McGurk contributed 38 off 32, while Abishek Porel’s quickfire 34* off 18 and Tristan Stubbs’ 21* off 14 sealed the win in 16 overs. SRH’s Zeeshan Ansari took 3/42, but it wasn’t enough as DC secured a dominant seven-wicket victory with 24 balls to spare. Starc was named Player of the Match for his fiery spell.

SRH being too Reliant on Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma!

Sunrisers Hyderabad have been a dominant force in the IPL, largely due to their explosive opening pair, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. Their fearless batting at the top has been crucial in setting up big totals, allowing the middle order to play freely and capitalize on the strong foundation. Over the last season, this duo has collectively scored more than 600 runs in 16 innings, making them the backbone of SRH’s success.

In IPL 2025, their impact was evident in the match against Rajasthan Royals, where they stitched a solid 45-run opening partnership. This strong start enabled SRH to post a massive total of 286 runs, with the middle order firing on all cylinders. However, when Abhishek Sharma failed to deliver, the team struggled. In their match against Lucknow Super Giants, he was dismissed for just 6 runs, leading to a complete batting collapse. SRH could only manage 190 runs and ended up losing the game.

A similar story unfolded in the clash against Delhi Capitals. Abhishek Sharma was run out for just 1 run, and the batting lineup crumbled under pressure. Without a solid start from their openers, SRH struggled and were bowled out for just 163 runs. Delhi Capitals capitalized on this weakness and handed them a crushing defeat.

Fans are now questioning the strength of SRH’s middle order, arguing that it only performs well when Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head provide a strong start. Without their contribution, the batting lineup seems fragile, raising concerns about SRH’s ability to bounce back in upcoming matches. The middle order, consisting of Ishan Kishan, has failed to make runs after scoring a century in the first match against Rajasthan Royals, while the duo of Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen has fired in bits and pieces, which has made it tough for the team to score big. 

Aniket Verma has emerged as a crucial finisher for Sunrisers Hyderabad, proving to be a standout performer in the lower order. His aggressive batting has provided much-needed stability and firepower when the team needed it the most. In the match against Lucknow Super Giants, he played a blistering cameo, smashing 36 runs off just 13 balls, showcasing his ability to accelerate in the death overs. 

However, his best performance came against Delhi Capitals, where he top-scored for SRH. Batting in the middle overs, he played a fearless knock of 74 runs off 41 balls, which included five fours and six towering sixes. With a strike rate of 180.49, Aniket Verma has cemented his role as SRH’s go-to finisher this season.

Heinrich Klaasen Dismisses Claims of SRH’s Dependence on Abhishek and Head

As a team, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have built its reputation on aggressive batting, often relying on its explosive opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Their fearless starts have been a major factor in SRH’s recent dominance. However, after a disappointing loss to Delhi Capitals, concerns were raised about SRH’s dependence on their openers. He said:

Not at all. If we look at our batting lineup, we are destructive till batter No.8. We don’t need Travis and Abhishek to come off every time. We’re good enough to score without them as well. They put teams under pressure when they come off and make our jobs easier. You will never have a season where both of them will score more than 1000 runs. It’s the way we play, a bit on the riskier side. But no. We have big enough players to know that we need to do it by ourselves as well.

Despite the top-order struggles, Heinrich Klaasen dismissed these concerns, emphasizing the team’s overall strength. Klaasen stated that SRH has destructive batters all the way down to No. 8, ensuring they can post competitive totals even if Head and Abhishek fail. He acknowledged that their aggressive approach carries risks but insisted that the team is not solely reliant on two players.