Ravichandran Ashwin criticised Sunrisers Hyderabad’s reckless batting approach after their crushing defeat against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026.
Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back while analysing Sunrisers Hyderabad following their humiliating 82-run defeat against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. Chasing a modest target of 169 on a challenging Ahmedabad pitch, SRH collapsed for just 86 runs, recording their biggest defeat in IPL history.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin pointed towards the lack of game awareness shown by SRH’s top order, particularly opener Abhishek Sharma.
“Can Abhishek Sharma play the shot? Of course he can. But where did he go wrong? It’s like driving; you can hit 100 or 200 mph on a highway, but if you drive like that in a traffic jam, someone is going to get hurt. Cricket is a game where conditions are king. I want to see Abhishek Sharma take that ball in one run. Go to the other end. Build a partnership,” Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin stressed that SRH’s batters failed to assess the surface properly and continued attacking despite the difficult conditions.
Kohli And Rohit Praised For Reading Match Situations
The veteran spinner also highlighted how experienced batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma succeed because of their ability to adapt according to the demands of the game.
READ ALSO | Tim David’s Obscene Celebration After RCB’s Thrilling Win Over MI Goes Viral
“Legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are celebrated because they read the conditions and adapt. They don’t drive at the same speed on every road. In this match, SRH should have chased the total, but they failed because the top three didn’t take responsibility,” he added.
SRH lost wickets at regular intervals during the chase and never looked settled against the disciplined Gujarat Titans bowling attack.
Pat Cummins Also Penalised After Heavy Defeat
Apart from the crushing loss, SRH captain Pat Cummins was also fined for maintaining a slow over rate during the match.
“As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Cummins was fined INR 12 lakhs,” the IPL said in a statement.
The defeat left Sunrisers Hyderabad under pressure in the IPL 2026 playoff race, while Gujarat Titans strengthened their position near the top of the points table.
READ ALSO | Sanjay Manjrekar Urges Mumbai Indians To Replace Hardik Pandya With Jasprit Bumrah As Captain
This article follows WicketWatcher’s editorial standards. Learn more in our Editorial Policy or report an issue via our Corrections Policy.