Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) head coach Daniel Vettori expressed disappointment over his team’s bowling performance following a six-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2026 opener. Despite setting a competitive target of 201/9, SRH struggled against RCB’s strong batting lineup led by Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.
Vettori acknowledged that SRH failed to match RCB’s bowling execution, leading to missed opportunities and conceding scoring chances to the opposition batsmen. He highlighted the need for better discipline and execution in future matches to improve their performance.
The coach emphasized the impact of Padikkal’s aggressive batting, which put SRH under pressure early in the game. Vettori noted that SRH’s bowlers struggled to maintain control and execute their plans effectively on a challenging pitch, resulting in a below-par performance.
Despite the loss, Vettori praised spinner Harsh Dubey for his composed bowling and highlighted the team’s batting depth, particularly Aniket Verma’s late contribution that propelled SRH’s total past 200. Looking ahead, Vettori expressed confidence in the team’s batting unit and emphasized the importance of posting big scores in the competitive IPL environment.
SRH will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their next match at the iconic Eden Gardens on April 2.
