IPL 2025: I don’t see SRH trying to take wickets, they are just being defensive, says Rayudu

Hyderabad: Former India batter Ambati Rayudu said Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have bigger issues in their bowling as compared to their batting in IPL 2025, adding that he feels the Pat Cummins-led side don’t have the wicket-taking mindset and are being just defensive in middle overs.

At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Mohammed Siraj claimed his career-best IPL figures of 4-17, while Prasidh Krishna chipped in with two wickets as GT restricted SRH to 152/8 in 20 overs.

In reply, captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 61, along with Washington Sundar’s enterprising 49 and Sherfane Rutherford’s quickfire 35 not out took GT to a dominating win with 20 balls to spare.

“I think more than their batting, it’s their bowling that is struggling. In the middle overs, they don’t have anybody who can pick up those crucial wickets and put the opposition under pressure – like how GT have done with Sai Kishore, Rashid (Khan) and Prasidh Krishna. They really tightened the screws.

“I don’t see SRH trying to take wickets. They are just about being defensive and trying to stop batsmen from scoring boundaries. You don’t win the IPL with mediocre middle-overs bowling. You need some really good middle-overs bowlers to pick up those wickets,” said Rayudu to ESPNCricinfo.

One of the big reasons behind SRH not being at their marauding best has been their top-order not clicking. While Travis Head has two scores above 40, his opening partner Abhishek Sharma has been in horror form, scoring just 51 runs in five innings.

Rayudu, who has won IPL titles with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), feels Abhishek just needs a shift in mindset to get back to his run-scoring best. “I think he just needs a shift in his mindset. Just hit those few boundaries along the ground, beside mid-off, (or) mid-on; run those singles; get your 10-15 runs; (and) get your blood flow going.

“Then the big shots will always come because you have trained for it. You are there to hit them, and they will come. Just spend a little time on the basics. I think SRH will have to come to basics now. All their top three actually like (good) length a lot. So they are looking to clear the infield and hit those sixes off length, which they have been practising of late,” he said.

Rayudu also noted that Abhishek has taken his backlift higher, which has meant the bowlers are trying to counter them by bowling fuller and urged him to aim to go through the gaps. “Their backlifts have changed. Abhishek Sharma’s backlift has changed; Ishan Kishan does that. They are lifting the bat much higher so that their hands are higher and they can go for those big shots.

“So now what teams are doing is they’re bowling really full to them. Still, these guys are trying to hit over the infield. I think they need to be slightly smart and just hit the gaps, because these are actually half volleys that people are bowling to them.

“I think a little shift in their mindset (is required), saying, ‘Okay, if it is full, generally as a batsman we are all taught to wait for a full ball.’ So that’s all they need to do: wait for a full ball, hit the gaps, and then let them come and bowl those lengths or short balls, and then you can get after the bowling. They just need to ebb a little bit and then flow,” he concluded.

IANS