SRH Struggle to Get Their Rhythm in IPL 2025

Sunrisers Hyderabad began IPL 2025 with big hopes following a brilliant run last season. In 2024 they were just one step away from the title and their aggressive batting approach made them one of the most thrilling teams to watch. But this season things have been different. SRH has now lost four consecutive games and their recent defeat was at the hands of Gujarat Titans. The defeat has given serious concerns within the camp and head coach Daniel Vettori admits that the team is not working in any department.

The season started with lots of promise. The inclusion of Ishan Kishan in the batting order brought more power and confidence. In the first game he smashed a century against Rajasthan Royals and the team almost repeated their record-breaking score of 2024 when they scored 287 against RCB. Their strategy of dominating teams through their aggressive hitting was evident. But things soon came tumbling down. Ever since that first game SRH's batting has gone haywire. Their first choice with Travis Head Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan has not been able to cope with varying pitches and intelligent bowling plans from rival teams. Vettori explained that T20 isn't only about being attacking but about a reading of conditions and a quick adjustment.

In the match against Gujarat Titans SRH attempted to play intelligent cricket. Vettori described that the pitch was slow and they had planned a target of 160 to 170. The team came close but were short by around 20 runs. That little difference made a huge impact because they were unable to put enough pressure in the second half. The coach still believed their planning was correct but the execution was not up to mark. This has been the pattern in recent matches. SRH have not surpassed 175 in their previous three matches which adds more pressure on their bowling lineup.

The game against GT also witnessed a good show from their old player Mohammed Siraj. He bowled fast and in good accuracy knocking SRH's openers in the Powerplay. He came back later to take another crucial wicket and finished with great figures. Vettori complimented Siraj on reading the conditions and following his plan to the letter. Such performances by opposition players have caused a lot of damage to SRH and made their own miseries more pronounced.

Vettori conceded that nothing has been working in any of the three areas of batting bowling and fielding. He mentioned that last season SRH were winning by scoring enormous totals and then just hanging in with the ball. But this season their batsmen are not scoring big totals and the bowlers are struggling to defend modest totals. He also said that their fielding has not been up to standard and that usually is an indication of the team's general energy. Bettering that will be one of the top priorities leading up to their next game.

In spite of the rough period Vettori is optimistic. He realizes that each IPL team goes through a rough patch and that he still believes a turnaround can occur. The squad gets a brief respite before they take on Punjab Kings who have been playing fantastically this season. SRH must utilize this time to rectify their issues and regain the spark they had last season. Vettori also believes in Pat Cummins their skipper to remain calm and composed. He mentioned that Pat never gets flustered and that kind of attitude can make the team remain grounded in times of adversity.

The pitches this year have not been as flat as the previous year. That has made life more challenging for big-hitting sides such as SRH. The slow wickets require teams to play intelligent cricket rather than powerhitting. SRH's top order has not been able to do that. Players such as Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head have attempted to go for their shots too early and lost their wickets. Vettori feels the trick now is to abide by the conditions and play within that. He noticed some positives in the last game particularly from Ishan who played in more balance during the Powerplay.

SRH retains good players and match-winning forces. What they lack now is a decent outing where all three aspects — batting bowling and fielding — mesh together. The players realize what is wrong and the coaches are doing everything in their power to correct it. With numerous games still to play in the tournament there is plenty of room for a comeback. But the players need to act quickly and get back to the fundamentals. If they could pull off a single win and build some momentum they can again be the aggressive team everyone remembered from last year.