Following Sunrisers Hyderabad’s five-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025, SRH’s destructive wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen has defended team’s batting depth, saying team doesn’t rely solely on Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma duo.

Travishek, a standout pair from SRH’s IPL 2024 campaign with 736 runs across 16 innings, couldn’t deliver as expected on March 27. Abhishek fell early in the third over, and although Head managed a quick 47 off 28 balls, SRH’s total of 190 fell short on a batting-friendly Hyderabad pitch.

Dismissing the team’s overdependence on Travishek, Klassen acknowledged that Travishek’s aggressive starts put early pressure on opponents, easing the job for the middle order.

 “Not at all,” Klaasen said during the post-match press conference. “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,” he said.

“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,” Klaasen added.

SRH, who batted first, were restricted to 190 despite good intent shown early on. Klaasen felt the score was underwhelming considering the surface.

“We didn’t score enough runs. 210-220 was par score. One or two unlucky dismissals hurt us. One was caught down the leg side, another was deflected onto the stumps off the bowler’s hand. But that’s part of the game,” he said.

The wicketkeeper-batter remains confident in SRH’s depth and ability to recover from setbacks. The team is set to take on Delhi Capitals in their next match on March 30 in Vizag.

Nicholas Pooran turned his early fielding lapse into a match-defining performance with the bat as Lucknow Super Giants handed Sunrisers Hyderabad a five-wicket defeat in a high-scoring Indian Premier League clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

After dropping Travis Head at long-on when the batter was on 35, Pooran more than made up for it with a ferocious unbeaten 70 off just 26 balls, laced with six fours and six sixes. His fireworks, coupled with Mitchell Marsh’s fluent 52 off 31 balls, helped Lucknow chase down a steep 191-run target in just 16.1 overs.

Pooran and Marsh’s 116-run second-wicket stand laid the foundation for a comfortable win. While both fell to Pat Cummins eventually, the damage had already been done, leaving Lucknow with a simple 53 needed off 55 balls — a task easily completed by David Miller and Abdul Samad with 23 balls to spare.

Shardul Thakur shines with the ball

Earlier in the game, it was Shardul Thakur who set the tone with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 4/34. His twin strike in the third over, removing Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan on consecutive deliveries, pegged Hyderabad back early.

Thakur’s smart variations on a slightly slower pitch proved effective. Despite a brief onslaught from Cummins, Thakur returned to dismiss Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami, completing his 100th IPL wicket milestone in the process.

The rest of Lucknow’s bowling unit also held their lines tightly. Young pacer Prince Yadav bounced back well after a forgettable previous outing, dismissing the dangerous Travis Head and assisting in Heinrich Klaasen’s run out. Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi, and Avesh Khan — playing his first match of the season — chipped in with economical spells to restrict Sunrisers to 190/9, a significant drop from their previous total at the same venue.

Missed chances, costly outcome

Despite a reprieve, Travis Head couldn’t capitalise fully, adding just 12 more runs post his dropped catch. Klaasen’s departure in the 12th over was another major blow to Hyderabad’s innings, halting their momentum when a late flourish was most needed.

With this win, Lucknow’s all-round show reaffirmed their depth and balance, particularly with key contributions from players like Pooran, Marsh, and Thakur — all peaking at the right time.

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has lauded Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer as the most “improved” batsman in recent times, asserting that he is “ready” for all formats of the game. Ganguly’s endorsement comes after Iyer’s impressive transformation over the past year, particularly following a challenging period when he was left out of the BCCI’s central contract list for 2023-24.

Determined to reclaim his spot, Shreyas returned to India’s domestic circuit, where he devoted himself to intense training and practice. This dedication paid off as he made a strong comeback to international cricket, exuding a new level of confidence and self-assurance.

In the ongoing IPL 2025, Shreyas has continued to showcase his talents on the field. In a gripping match against the Gujarat Titans, he illuminated the game with an extraordinary performance, scoring an unbeaten 97 runs in the first innings. His knock was crucial in leading the Punjab Kings to a commanding total that ultimately secured their victory over the Titans.

Shreyas’s stellar display highlights his evolution as a batsman. Despite previously struggling with short-length deliveries—a challenge that haunted him—he has now transformed this once-difficult aspect of his game into a strength.

Ganguly, eager to share his excitement about Iyer’s progress, took to the social media platform X to express his thoughts: “Shreyas Iyer has emerged as the most improved batsman in the last year… ready for all formats. It’s fantastic to witness his growth after overcoming certain challenges with his technique.”

In this particular match, Shreyas demonstrated not only his batting prowess but also his selflessness. As fatigue began to set in, he willingly sacrificed the opportunity for a personal milestone to empower his teammate Shashank Singh in the final overs. Singh capitalized on the chance, striking five boundaries that helped propel PBKS to a formidable total of 243 for 5. The Titans, unable to chase down the target, succumbed to a narrow 11-run defeat.

Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 97 encapsulates the hard work and determination he has displayed throughout the past year, marking him as a player to watch in the future.