The IPL 2026 playoffs are already in full swing, and Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma’s struggles in high-pressure knockout matches have once again become a talking point. The 25-year-old has built a reputation on explosive, match-turning batting, and SRH have consistently backed his attacking instincts since he joined the franchise after leaving Delhi Capitals in 2019. Yet, when the games become tighter and the margins shrink, Abhishek has repeatedly fallen short of expectations.
Abhishek’s rise has been closely tied to SRH’s faith in him, and the numbers from his breakthrough period and subsequent seasons reflect how often he has looked capable of taking control of a chase or setting a platform for the middle overs. During IPL 2024, he enjoyed a remarkable run, smashing his way to 484 runs across the campaign and emerging as a key part of the XI. But even that standout season carried a warning label: he managed low scores of 3, 12, and 2 in the Q1, Q2, and the final, where SRH ultimately lost to KKR.
Now, a similar storyline is unfolding again. Abhishek entered the 2026 edition enjoying one of his most productive IPL stretches, amassing 563 runs. However, in a crucial Eliminator on Wednesday, he was dismissed for a duck against Rajasthan Royals. The setback proved costly because SRH were unable to chase a demanding 244-run target at the New Chandigarh Stadium, finishing 47 runs short and ending their campaign.
While Abhishek’s failure drew the sharpest headlines, the way SRH’s top order approached the chase also sparked criticism across sections of fans and pundits. Abhishek, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan all handed Rajasthan Royals opportunities through dismissals at moments when the innings needed steadier batting. Much of the damage was linked to the form of RR pacer Jofra Archer, who struck at a crucial stage and helped turn the match decisively in Rajasthan’s favour.
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth went further than general disappointment, targeting Abhishek specifically for what he described as a recurring pattern in playoffs. He pointed out that Abhishek’s knockout record mirrors concerns from SRH’s disappointing end to the 2024 campaign, adding that it remains an area of worry for the franchise, who are still waiting to lift their first title since 2016. “Abhishek Sharma has always failed in the playoffs. He has been a huge failure in the playoffs. That’s been SRH’s problem since 2024. Archer finished SRH in the powerplay despite Ishan Kishan’s blinder,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth also argued that the blame should not rest solely on Abhishek, insisting the collective batting approach was reckless. “If Travis Head played sensibly and Kishan did not get out at that time, they would have had an outside chance. But the way SRH just blindly slogged, do they think it’s so easy to score runs? I was surprised that SRH didn’t even put up a fight. Even [Heinrich] Klaasen played a pathetic shot and seemed to have waited for Archer to finish his spell before coming to bat,” he added.
