Sunrisers Hyderabad currently do not have the bowling depth to defend totals below 220, according to batsman Heinrich Klaasen, who has urged the batting unit to strengthen in IPL 2026.
Ahead of the match against Punjab Kings, Klaasen said the team’s bowlers have too much to do as the batsmen have failed to maximize scoring opportunities in the first few games of the season.
“We have conceded about 40 runs in three matches. There is still a lot of work to do for our batsmen. We have to get to the 220-230 mark and give our bowlers a chance to defend,” Klaasen told India Today while speaking at the JioStar Press Room ahead of the TATA IPL 2026 – Rivalry Week, which starts from April 18 to April 12.
SRH endured an inconsistent start to their campaign, they won just one of their first three games. Much of their struggle has come with the bat, where promising starts have not translated into impressive totals.
Klaasen’s comments highlight a clear imbalance in the side, with the batting unit expected to compensate for a bowling attack that has made it difficult for opposition sides to contain in high-scoring conditions.
Despite the team’s results, Klaasen was an outstanding player in the SRH lineup. The South African has continued his strong run in the IPL and has shown little rust despite his retirement from international cricket in recent months.
He often came in at No. 4 and was tasked with stabilizing the innings and accelerating through the middle overs, especially against spin.
Klaasen said his ability against spin was built over years of exposure to quality slow bowling, both at home and in the subcontinent.
“We are blessed in South Africa to have some quality spinners as well. I played a lot of four-day cricket at a very important stage in my career and most of those spinners played that format as well,” he said.
This early exposure helped him become comfortable against the ball bouncing away from him, something he continued to develop through regular practice at the net.
“I’ve also faced a lot of Tabraize Shamsi in the nets and he’s a quality spinner. It’s been a lot of training, a lot of hours in the nets, experimenting and figuring things out,” Klaasen added.
His time in the subcontinent also played a role in shaping this aspect of his game.
“I’ve been coming to India for five or six years now, so I’ve been gaining experience over time. Earlier in my career we also toured Sri Lanka where the ball was spinning quite a bit. That forced me to adapt, learn new tricks and improve my game,” he said.
“I feel very fortunate to have developed the skill set to play spin well. But it’s always a challenge.”
SRH will be hoping that improvements from the batting unit over the course of the tournament will ease the pressure on both Klaasen and the bowling attack. They will face Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Saturday 11th April. The match is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM IST.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
11 Apr 2026 11:34 IST
