Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been the most entertaining team to watch in IPL 2025. They have provided some thrilling moments and have changed the way we think power plays should look with their aggressive, all-or-nothing approach. However, as the tournament progresses and the pressure builds, the question must be asked — are SRH capable of continuing with their high-risk strategy, or is it time to introduce a bit more calculation into the madness?
The Highs and Lows of SRH’s Aggressive Batting
Top-order batting has been a concern for bowlers in SRH’s top order, with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma as the highlights of deadly hitting. Head has been an incredible run-scoring machine with an equally incredible strike rate, and Sharma has mirrored Head’s hitting. When these two are both firing, the SRH have relentlessly scored past 200 before people can even catch their breath. Their “if we’re going to go hard, we are going to go home” has put them in a commanding position this season.
However, there is a downside. This very aggressive style can backfire—and it has. Our research clearly shows some matches where top-order wickets fell in a cluster, leaving the middle order to start in repair mode. This may not be the best decision-making choice for a player who has a role of coming in after a strong top-order start, not to be the one starting the hit with a negative mindset. SRH’s dependence on aggressive starts is leaving them vulnerable to collapsing when the pitch is not suitable for shot-making.
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The Role of Pitch Conditions
The pitch is always one of the biggest variables in any T20 game. SRH has played all their home matches in Hyderabad, which has become a batter’s paradise this season. There have been many flat pitches with short boundaries and fast outfields that all work perfectly with their aggressiveness. When the wicket is doing nothing, it is completely acceptable to come out and “smash it” from ball one.
Not every ground, however, is a batter’s dream. Grounds like Ahmedabad, usually black soil pitches, generally slow as the innings progresses, meaning the timing is harder, and the ball doesn’t always come on as you expect. Because of that, I don’t see it as a sensible risk to throw the bat so early in an innings on those types of surfaces.
Understanding the ‘conditions on the pitch’ may be the defining factor in splitting the teams and winning a close game or letting it slip. The team that understands the moment they need to ‘go’ and the moment they need to ‘shut it down’ will gain a confident foothold.
The Importance of Flexibility
There is no question that SRH’s aggressive approach has taken them so far. But T20 cricket—especially the IPL—isn’t just about sticking with one, single approach. The best teams in the league know when to change things up. A strict “one-size-fits-all” approach might win some games in the regular season, but playoffs are not the same.
Pat Cummins, as the captain, injects an energy into the group that oozes fearlessness, and head coach Daniel Vettori has encouraged them to express themselves. If a little bit of adaptability can be instilled into this high-flying group, SRH will go from being an exciting team to a truly fierce, unmatchable force. This doesn’t mean they have to lose their attacking identity—it just means they are reading the room better. Instead of aiming for 210 on a 170 wicket and ending up with 140, you should instead be seeking 175. It is clever cricket.
So, what do you think, SRH? Set for boom or bust, or is it time to find the balance of power and grace?
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