IPL 2025: Time is Running Out for One-Note SRH

If you ask any half-decent cricket watcher in the country on which are the most boring and the most attacking batting lineups in this IPL, the answer would most likely be: CSK and SRH respectively.

As it happens, these are the two teams that are scraping at the bottom of the table.

No, it is not counterintuitive. Both suffer from the same malaise: Playing only one brand of cricket when the format demands some tactical adjustments. CSK cannot seem to attack with the bat. SRH cannot stop attacking.

Also Read: MI vs SRH: A Clash to Rise From the Bottom Half of the Table 

One-note approach can never produce music. It is true to cricket, too. 

After its 4-wicket loss to a persevering Mumbai Indians last night at Wankhede, SRH has collected its fifth loss in seven matches.  It is at the ninth spot in the table, just above CSK in the 10-team league. 

That team which posted the tournament's highest score --- 286 in its first match against RR --- and also chased the highest score this season --- it went after 245 with 8 balls to spare against PBKS --- cannot be all that bad. So what is working against it?

Despite having a power-packed batting lineup featuring Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Ishan Kishan, SRH has struggled to post competitive totals (in five out of seven matches). The top order has failed to fire collectively, with frequent collapses exposing the middle and lower order. The two matches that were won were due to individual brilliance ---- centuries from Ishan and Abhishek respectively. Head has given the starts, but not gone on to big scores like he did last season. Klaasen too has made a decent amount of runs, but then again the final push in the death overs have not happened.

SRH's bowling attack, led by Mohammed Shami, Pat Cummins, and Harshal Patel, has been inconsistent. While Shami has delivered in patches, the others have been expensive, failing to contain runs in crucial moments.  Cummins had a decent spell last night. The spin department has lacked penetration, leaving the team vulnerable in the middle overs. The inability to take wickets at decisive junctures has cost SRH dearly in close games. Now, Adam Zampa is also out with an injury.

Cummins and coach Daniel Vettori have faced criticism for questionable tactics and team selections. The decision to persist with out-of-form players while benching promising talents like Abhinav Manohar has raised eyebrows. 

To turn its season around, SRH must address its batting inconsistencies and have a plan B ready in case the all-out attack comes unstuck. As the tournament progresses, SRH has little room for error. With the playoffs seemingly slipping out of reach, the Hyderabad team has to regroup. Fast, at that.

Also Read: IPL 2025: SRH’s Time is Fast Running Out