Published: April 14, 2026 at 12:11 pm
Sunrisers’ Hyderabad (SRH) brought high-flying Rajasthan Royals, who were on a roll after winning their first four games, down to earth with a thud. The landing was so bad that the Royals did not know what had struck them. It was a lightning bolt from Vidarbha that felled them in the very first over of the game. And as if that was not enough another bolt of thunder from Bihar ensured that the Royals had no escape route from this game.
Praful’s triple strike in the first over decimates Rajasthan Royals as Sunrisers win by 57 runs
Sunrisers’ 57-run victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium was fashioned by two debutants and that is the most heartening thing for the Hyderabad-based franchise. At a time, when the Sunrisers’ bowling attack, especially since skipper Pat Cummins is not available, has come under criticism, the Monday show under lights warmed the hearts of the 30,000 plus fans at the stadium.
McClenaghan heaps praises on Praful and Sakib
New Zealand’s left-arm seamer Mitchell McClenaghan heaped praise on the debut heroics of ‘Fearless Prodigies’ Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge.
Sakib Hussain showed his ability to bowl the slower ball and his ability to nail them took everyone by surprise, says McClenaghan
“This fearless prodigy Sakib Hussain looks very talented. At the start of the chase, he got the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal with the new ball. That wicket put the brakes on Rajasthan’s top order and their chances of chasing 217. Later, he showed his ability to bowl the slower ball and his ability to nail them took everyone by surprise. His slower delivery gave Mustafizur Rahman vibes and he feels like a right-handed version of Mustafizur,” McClenaghan told JoiStar’s Amul Cricket Live.
“You also have to credit another fearless prodigy, Praful Hinge. He changed his line and length really well. The first ball to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, he bowled a sharp bumper that caught him off guard and led to his dismissal. Against Dhruv Jurel, he bowled a fourth-stump line, and the inside edge hit the stumps, a peach of a delivery. He showed excellent control in his first over as a debutant. By bowling those lines so well, he proved he means business. These two fearless prodigies have shown that the future of Indian bowling is in safe hands,” he added.
Smart bowling by both teams, says Bangar
Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar said it was a good match from the bowlers’ viewpoint. He said that bowlers of both teams put up a smart show on the day.
“We are often asked in our predictions before the beginning of a match that who will score more runs and both, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma, were part of that conversation. And both got out for golden ducks. It doesn’t happen too often. But there was some smart planning from the bowlers. Jofra Archer knew that Abhishek would go down the track to play his shots. So, Archer outsmarted him by having a slip, a fly slip and a third man. Having three fielders one behind the other meant there was a clear plan to get the prized scalp of Abhishek Sharma, and it worked wonderfully for RR,” Bangar said.
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“Coming to Suryavanshi, Praful Hinge mentioned in the post-match ceremony that he told a couple of his team members that he would go with the short ball against Vaibhav. It worked out. When you plan as a bowler and things go as per the plan on the field, it is double delight,” he added.
SRH’s Kishan played the ball on its merit: Bangar
Bangar also praised Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Ishan Kishan’s aggressive batting. The southpaw, who came to bat with his side losing Abhishek Sharma off the first ball of the innings, made 91, which ensured that the hosts crossed the 200-run mark.
Ishan Kishan played everything on the merit of the ball and looked totally composed. Ishan Kishan’s aggressive brand of cricket meant that SRH could get to a score which, in hindsight, was way beyond Rajasthan Royals’ reach,” Bangar stated. Pics: BCCI
“The way Ishan Kishan attacked Jofra Archer in the first six balls was a pure display of class. He got behind the line of the ball, moved across the crease very confidently, and was very precise with his footwork. As a batter, you know when you’re in for a special night and that was clear in his first six to eight balls. He played everything on the merit of the ball and looked totally composed. Ishan Kishan’s aggressive brand of cricket meant that SRH could get to a score which, in hindsight, was way beyond Rajasthan Royals’ reach,” Bangar stated.
If Dhoni is fit, CSK should use him as the Impact Player
On how CSK should use MS Dhoni in Tuesday’s ‘Rivalry Week’ match against KKR, McClenaghan said: “If MS Dhoni is fit, then CSK should bring him in as the impact player. If the team management feels they need a short burst of runs from him, especially when they are chasing, then bringing him in as the impact sub will allow them to make the best use of his batting abilities. Playing as an impact player will mean he may not have to do a lot of running. He can just come in, smack the ball into the stands and do his job of finishing in style. His aggressive stroke-making ability will come in handy for Chennai when they are chasing big scores. I think that is a good way to get Dhoni back into the groove. His presence will really give a lot of strength to the lower middle order of CSK.”
