Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Daniel Vettori said that Devdutt Padikkal’s aggressive batting turned the match in RCB’s favour, even though SRH were in a strong position after putting up 201 runs.
RCB didn’t begin their chase well and lost Phil Salt early for just 8 runs in the second over. But things changed quickly when impact substitute Padikkal came to the crease and carried on his excellent form.
ALSO READ: 'There was always a risk of...': Kohli goes candid after RCB thrash SRH
Daniel Vettori lauds Devdutt Padikkal
Batting at No. 3 like he did last season, Padikkal played a brilliant knock of 61 runs from just 26 balls, scoring at a strike rate of over 230. He also built a crucial 101-run partnership with Virat Kohli for the second wicket. By the time he got out, RCB were already 110/2 in just nine overs and firmly in control.
“Padikkal’s innings, I think. Came and hit the first ball for six, striking over 200, taking on all bowlers, allowing Virat to get into his innings, even though he was striking quickly too," Vettori said at the post-match press conference.
“The impetus that he showed when he came in was the real difference. Maybe a couple of years ago, you thought you were safe with 200, but I do think we understand where the game has gone and how destructive that RCB line-up is," Vettori added.
Where does SRH lack against RCB?
SRH found it hard to stop the flow of runs during the chase. Their bowling attack looked weaker without Pat Cummins, and Brydon Carse couldn’t make much of an impact either. Except for Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jaydev Unadkat, who bowled with the new ball, none of the bowlers were able to keep their economy below 10.
ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Troika of Kohli, Padikkal, Duffy powers RCB to emphatic 6-wicket win
Vettori did praise Jacob Duffy, who made a strong IPL debut. He picked up 3 wickets for 22 runs and bowled the right lengths, which helped trouble the batters.
“You don’t want to have a rusty performance because of how important every game is in the IPL, especially at the start. I think we missed our lengths and Duffy, in particular, showed the length to bowl on that surface," Vettori said.