Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) spin bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan has lavished praise on them for the brand of cricket they have been exhibiting in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. SRH's powerful batting lineup, featuring the likes of Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and the in-form youngster Abhishek Sharma, has been demolishing bowling attacks across the league.
This season has witnessed some explosive batting displays, with four teams already rewriting the history books for highest team totals. SRH leads the pack, claiming both the top two spots with their scores of 287/3 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and 277/3 against Mumbai Indians. Further down the list, Kolkata Knight Riders' 272/7 against Delhi Capitals comes in third, while SRH makes another appearance in fourth place with their 266/5 against the same team in April.
Muralitharan all praise for SRH team
Sunrisers Hyderabad's spin bowling coach, Muttiah Muralitharan, sees a striking resemblance between his side's aggressive batting and the approach that led Sri Lanka to World Cup glory in 1996. This comparison highlights Muralitharan's belief in SRH's batting strength and its potential to be a winning formula.
"I think we did it in 1996 when Sanath Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana won the World Cup. So that kind of a brand they played, it is open to everyone. Now when we started, everyone has started," Muralitharan said while speaking to the IPL's social media team.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' head coach Kumar Sangakkara too heaped praise on SRH's batting.
"We have seen how well they bat. They have got a great array of internationals. It makes them a very dangerous side as we have seen. They have kind of earned the respect of all the sides in the competition," Sangakkara stated.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting has been a force to be reckoned with this IPL season, but wins haven't quite followed. Opener Travis Head leads the charge for SRH with a staggering 338 runs in just eight matches. His strike rate of over 211 and a century along with two fifties showcase his explosive form.
Youngster Abhishek Sharma isn't far behind, amassing 303 runs at a blistering strike rate of over 214.89, including a well-deserved half-century.
South African wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen provides further firepower with 295 runs and three fifties to his name, maintaining a healthy strike rate of over 185. Despite this impressive batting display, SRH currently sit outside the playoff zone in fifth place, with 10 points from nine games. They'll be desperate to turn things around when they host league leaders Rajasthan Royals in their next clash on Thursday in Hyderabad.
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