Daniel Vettori, the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, has commented on the challenges faced by the team due to unexpected pitch conditions in Hyderabad during IPL 2025. Following their washout against Delhi Capitals, which dashed their playoffs hopes, Vettori explained that their batting strategy wasn’t inherently aggressive. Instead, he emphasised the importance of adapting to the conditions presented.
“I definitely didn’t say after every match I was backing an aggressive approach,” said Vettori. “I said we’re about assessing conditions and this year, the conditions weren’t as we expected. If you look at last year, there were a lot of high-scoring games here.”
The pitches appeared less favourable for batters compared to the previous season. This year, Hyderabad hosted six games with teams crossing 200 four times in 11 innings, whereas last season saw seven such instances in 12 innings. Vettori attributed this change to more bowler-friendly surfaces.
“There have been two surfaces that have been 250-plus, and there have been four here that have been probably more conducive for the fast bowlers,” Vettori noted. “The new ball has been a little bit sticky, hard to hit, not coming onto the bat.”
With three wins from ten games, SRH needed victory against Delhi Capitals to extend their tournament run. After containing DC to 133 for 7, rain unfortunately interrupted the proceedings, leaving Vettori understandably frustrated.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing. We came in with high hopes, but we haven’t been consistent enough with our performances,” Vettori reflected. “Today was the start of a complete performance, so it’s frustrating that we couldn’t finish it but that’s cricket.”
Pat Cummins played a vital role, disrupting DC’s top order with his impressive new-ball spell. He finished with figures of 3 for 19, stepping in for Mohammed Shami, who has had a challenging season, taking six wickets in nine games with a high average and strike rate.
“Shami’s been working exceptionally hard in the background,” Vettori commented on the decision to play Cummins over Shami. “For this Hyderabad wicket, Pat was the best fit for the team.”
SRH’s struggles this season reflect a combination of adapting to changing pitch conditions and inconsistent performances. While the team showed glimpses of promise, the inconsistency proved costly in their playoff ambitions.
