IPL 2024, KKR vs SRH - 3 Things That Went Wrong For SRH

Heinrich Klaasen played a spectacular knock against KKR (IPLT20.com)Heinrich Klaasen played a spectacular knock against KKR (IPLT20.com)

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) experienced a bitter pill to swallow in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season opener, succumbing to a nail-biting four-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Despite winning the toss and electing to field, SRH found themselves on the back foot as KKR's batters, particularly in the death overs, launched a formidable assault, posting a colossal total of 208/7.

In the face of the intimidating chase, amidst a sea of hostile KKR supporters, SRH's top order displayed glimmers of potential but ultimately fell short of anchoring the innings.

Heinrich Klaasen's explosive batting, lighting up the scoreboard with eight sixes, swung the momentum in SRH's favour out of nowehere. However, KKR's young gun, Harshit Rana, held his ground in the climactic final overs, dashing SRH's hopes by a whisker.

If we dig deep, it’s evident there are factors that contributed to SRH's undoing in this high-octane encounter. Here are three things that went wrong for SRH in their first game of IPL 2024.

1. Death Bowling Dilemma

Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 44 runs in two overs at the death (IPLT20.com)Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 44 runs in two overs at the death (IPLT20.com)

The last four overs turned into a run-fest for KKR, with Andre Russell and Rinku Singh taking Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan to the cleaners. A whopping 67 runs were hemorrhaged during this period, with Russell and Rinku treating the SRH death bowlers like a walk in the park.

Bhuvneshwar, in particular, became the prime target, leaking 44 runs in his two overs at the death, showcasing a chink in his armour against the late onslaught. While Natarajan showed some resistance, the lack of support from his peers left SRH's bowling attack in disarray.

Going forward, SRH captain Pat Cummins faces a conundrum in managing Bhuvneshwar's role, especially considering his efficiency with the new ball where he conceded just seven runs off his first two overs as opposed to his struggles in the final overs.


2. A Spin Department in Dire Straits

SRH lacked a quality spinner to support Mayank Markande (IPLT20.com)SRH lacked a quality spinner to support Mayank Markande (IPLT20.com)

SRH's spin attack, led by Mayank Markande and Shahbaz Ahmed, failed to apply the brakes during KKR's innings. Markande, despite picking up two scalps, proved costly, conceding 39 runs in his four-over spell.

Ahmed, after a solitary over that went for 14 runs without any breakthrough, was conspicuously underutilized. This lack of potency in the spin department allowed KKR batters to dominate the middle overs unchallenged.

If SRH had a spinner like Glenn Phillips in the playing XI, he could have added the much-needed variety and control, potentially altering the game's complexion in the middle overs.

3. Frittering Away Starts

SRH top-order batters got off to great starts but failed to make it count (IPLT20.com)SRH top-order batters got off to great starts but failed to make it count (IPLT20.com)


The saying 'well begun is half done' starkly contrasts SRH's tale of missed opportunities. The top order, including Mayank Agarwal (32), Abhishek Sharma (32), Rahul Tripathi (20), and Aiden Markram got off to a great start, but failed to capitalised on it.

This series of premature departures piled undue pressure on the lower order, despite Klaasen's valiant efforts which saw him smash 63 off 29 balls, a knock that kept SRH in the hunt single-handedly.

A partnership that could weather the storm in the middle overs was sorely missed, as a settled batsman at the crease alongside Klaasen might have significantly tilted the scales in SRH's favour.

In hindsight, SRH's defeat can be attributed to a combination of missteps and missed opportunities. As they regroup for their next fixture against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, March 28, there are a few things that they need to take care of.