Following their impressive run to the top two last season, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the IPL 2025 with high expectations and a batting unit largely unchanged, only further strengthened by the acquisition of Ishan Kishan in the mega auction. However, their campaign failed to take off, resulting in an early exit from the playoff race.
SRH head coach Daniel Vettori opened up about what might have gone wrong for the franchise, highlighting a key mismatch between expectations and the actual playing conditions at their home ground. He clarified that contrary to the belief that the team stuck to an aggressive approach throughout, the focus this year was more about adapting to varying conditions. He explained that the Hyderabad pitches, which were known for high-scoring games last season, did not play the same way in 2025. This year, the surfaces were more unpredictable and posed a challenge for their batting lineup.
According to Daniel Vettori, the pitch behaviour was significantly different, making stroke play difficult. The batters were expected to assess conditions and adapt accordingly and while the squad naturally leaned towards an aggressive game, the circumstances called for a more nuanced approach. He admitted that this season was about recognising what was required on the day and acting on it, rather than blindly chasing big totals.
Statistically, this shift in conditions was evident at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. In the IPL 2024, out of 14 innings played at the venue, teams breached the 200-run mark seven times. In contrast, during the IPL 2025, with 11 innings played so far, only on four occasions did teams manage to cross that threshold. Daniel Vettori noted that while a couple of matches still saw mammoth totals of 250 or more, most other pitches favored fast bowlers. The new ball often stuck on the surface and did not come onto the bat easily, making it difficult for batters to time their shots. While spinners did not dominate as much, the early overs were challenging and gave some of the world’s best new-ball bowlers the upper hand.
Reflecting on the season as a whole, Daniel Vettori expressed his disappointment. He acknowledged that the team had entered with lofty ambitions but failed to find consistency. Despite glimpses of strong performances, the team struggled to put together complete efforts across matches.
For Daniel Vettori, their final game was shaping up to be the beginning of such a performance but they fell short of finishing it, underlining the unpredictable nature of the sport.
