Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori did not hold back after his side’s heavy defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 opener, calling it “one of our poorer bowling performances.”
Despite posting a competitive 201 after recovering from 33 for 3, SRH saw the target chased down in just 15.4 overs, with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal producing blistering half-centuries. Vettori admitted his bowlers failed to maintain discipline after an early breakthrough.
“We weren’t at our best with the ball… we gave a lot of scoring opportunities,” he said, highlighting poor execution rather than a lack of planning. SRH conceded 76 runs in the powerplay, allowing RCB to take control early.
The absence of captain Pat Cummins and a late injury to Brydon Carse further disrupted SRH’s bowling plans. Replacement seamer David Payne had a challenging start, conceding 18 runs in his first over after arriving just hours before the match. However, he recovered well to pick up two key wickets, earning praise from Vettori for his resilience.
Vettori also singled out young spinner Harsh Dubey as a bright spot. The left-armer impressed with his composure and claimed the crucial wicket of Padikkal, underlining his potential as a key asset for the season.
SRH’s batting, meanwhile, drew encouragement. A 97-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen helped rebuild the innings, while Aniket Verma’s late cameo powered them past 200.
While disappointed with the bowling effort, Vettori remained optimistic about the squad’s balance. With Cummins expected back later and Carse recovering, SRH hope to regroup quickly as they look to bounce back in the tournament.
