Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Ishan Kishan hailed his bowlers after SRH’s triumph over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2026 at the Uppal Stadium, crediting their execution and particularly spotlighting two newcomers—Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain—who were handed opportunities instead of India and domestic stalwarts Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat. The victory snapped RR’s four-game winning momentum, while SRH moved up the table with their second win from five matches.
IPL 2026: SRH’s breakthrough with debutant pacers
At Uppal, it was a night built around pace and pressure. After Ishan’s commanding knock, the spotlight quickly shifted to debutants Praful and Sakib, who made immediate impacts. Both etched their names into IPL history by producing four-wicket hauls on their first appearance in the league—an outcome that underlined how effectively SRH planned and executed their bowling strategy.
Table impact: RR’s first defeat, SRH rise to fourth
- RR’s four-match winning run was ended with the loss.
- Rajasthan suffered their first setback but still remain top of the table.
- SRH improved their position to fourth place, with two wins and three defeats now recorded.
- Sunrisers now hold a record of two wins alongside three losses after this result.
Ishan Kishan’s reaction after the match
In the post-match presentation, Ishan said he was pleased with the way the team delivered what they had intended from their bowling unit—especially the “freedom in execution” that the captain had been looking for. He added that the credit deserved to go to the bowlers, and he also explained why he felt it was the right moment to blood Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain at their home ground.
- Ishan highlighted that the bowlers delivered exactly what SRH were aiming for in execution.
- He praised the debutants’ hunger and motivation, noting their consistent work leading into the game.
- Praful and Sakib had been training throughout the season under bowling coach Varun Aaron.
- The pair were also speaking and learning from experienced campaigners within the squad.
- Ishan felt giving them a chance at the home venue was the correct call at that time.
Backing Abhishek Sharma to bounce back
Ishan also offered support to opener Abhishek Sharma, whose IPL campaign has been uneven so far. He referenced Abhishek’s two ducks, which have pushed his tally of dismissals on zero to seven—an all-time high for an Indian in the competition. Ishan pointed out that Abhishek has managed 129 runs across five matches, including one half-century and a rapid 48 against KKR as the standout contributions.
- Abhishek has recorded two additional ducks, bringing his year total to seven.
- The seven ducks represent an all-time high by an Indian in IPL history.
- He has scored 129 runs in five matches.
- Notable innings include a fifty and a quickfire 48 versus KKR.
- Ishan said Abhishek can get out sometimes, but believes SRH’s role is to bat long and allow him to play with freedom.
- The captain added that once Abhishek gets out, he should carry motivation into the next game.
Scorecard story: SRH 216/6, RR bowled out for 159
On a first-innings batting surface, SRH posted 216/6 after being put in to bat. The foundation came from captain Ishan Kishan, who struck 91 off 44 balls, featuring eight fours and six sixes. Heinrich Klaasen provided an important acceleration with 40 off 26 balls, including a four and three maximums, while Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 28 off 13 balls with four boundaries.
Chasing 217, RR’s chase was shattered early. Debutant Praful Hinge ripped through the top order in the opening over, finishing with figures of 4/34 from four overs and leaving Rajasthan reeling at 9/5. Donovan Ferreira then tried to keep the run-chase alive, scoring 69 off 44 balls with seven fours and three sixes, and Ravindra Jadeja struck 45 off 32 balls with five fours. Their partnership delivered a century stand in the middle overs to help RR’s net-rate hopes, but the innings ultimately ended with RR all out for 159.
Sakib Hussain provided late resistance as well, taking 4/24 in the SRH bowling effort, before RR were dismissed and SRH secured the win.
