New Delhi: South African aggressive batsman Henrik Klassen expressed optimism about Sunrisers Hyderabad bouncing back in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season despite a mixed start. Sunrisers lost their opening match against Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets, bounced back to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs, but then suffered a five-wicket loss to Lucknow Super Giants.
Speaking to Jio Hotstar, Klassen said, “Our batting has been decent, but we have fallen short by almost 40 runs in three matches. We need to improve our batting, especially in matches where we struggled. Our bowlers, particularly the pacers, have performed well, but we need to post 220–230 runs to give them a chance to defend the total.”
He added, “Our fielding has been below par and has affected our performance. I would rate our overall performance six out of ten so far. We’ve played some excellent cricket in phases but faltered in key moments. Improvement in all three departments—batting, bowling, and fielding—is essential to regain momentum.”
Klassen, who retired from international cricket last year and now plays only franchise leagues, has been in good form, scoring fifties in the last two matches. He said, “Although we lost two matches, personally it has been a good start for me. Batting at number four allows me to adapt according to the situation while supporting players like Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, and Travis Head when they are performing well.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad will next face Punjab Kings at New Chandigarh. Klassen acknowledged the absence of Pat Cummins, who returned home for a back injury scan, saying, “Pat’s absence is felt given his experience, but Ishan is managing captaincy well. Overall, the team is in a good position.”
