SRH don’t need Head and Abhishek to come off every time: Klaasen
The Hyderabad-based Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) suffered their first loss of IPL 2025, going down to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by five wickets in a thrilling encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for the SRH team, especially after they had won their first five matches of the tournament.
One of the key factors that have contributed to SRH’s success in the past has been the partnership between Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. The two batsmen have been instrumental in setting up victories for their team, with their 50-plus run partnership being a common sight in many of SRH’s wins. However, Heinrich Klaasen, the SRH wicketkeeper-batsman, believes that the team does not need Head and Abhishek to come off every time.
“We don’t need Travis and Abhishek to come off every time,” Klaasen said in an interview after the match. “We have a strong team and we have players who can contribute to the team’s success. We need to believe in each other and play as a unit.”
Klaasen’s statement may come as a surprise to many, given the importance of the Head-Abhishek partnership in SRH’s victories. However, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman has a point. SRH have a strong squad with a good balance of experience and youth, and they have a number of players who can contribute to the team’s success.
In fact, SRH have a number of players who have been in excellent form this season. Abhishek Sharma, for example, has been in stunning form, scoring a century in the match against Delhi Capitals. Similarly, Kane Williamson has been consistent, scoring 40-plus runs in most of the matches he has played.
Moreover, SRH have a strong bowling attack, with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, and Rashid Khan. The trio has been instrumental in restricting the opposition’s runs and picking up wickets at regular intervals.
Despite the loss to LSG, SRH will take comfort from the fact that they have a strong team that can bounce back from setbacks. Klaasen’s statement is a testament to the team’s confidence and belief in each other’s abilities.
“We have a good team and we have players who can contribute to the team’s success,” Klaasen said. “We need to believe in each other and play as a unit. We can’t rely on one or two players to get us wins. We need to work together as a team and that’s what we’re going to do.”
SRH’s next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 10 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The match is expected to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams having a strong squad and a good balance of experience and youth.
In conclusion, Klaasen’s statement is a refreshing change from the usual rhetoric about a team needing one or two players to come off every time. SRH have a strong team with a good balance of experience and youth, and they have players who can contribute to the team’s success. The team will take confidence from their first loss of the tournament and will look to bounce back in their next match against RCB.
