Dale Steyn Calls SRH vs CSK Win a “Turning Point” in IPL 2026 Comeback

Dale Steyn praised SRH’s all-round effort after their narrow victory over CSK.

Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn believes Sunrisers Hyderabad’s narrow win over Chennai Super Kings could mark a decisive shift in their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign. After a shaky start that saw them lose three of their first four matches, SRH have now bounced back strongly with consecutive wins, including a 10-run triumph over CSK, pushing them into the top four.

With explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, SRH posted a competitive 194/9. Their bowlers then held their nerve to restrict CSK to 184/8, with Eshan Malinga leading the charge with figures of 3/29, while Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with 2/31.

“This victory of SRH against CSK shows that they are back to their best after a slow start to the season. At the mid-innings break, I was having a chat with Heinrich Klaasen, and he told me he felt Sunrisers were probably 10 or 15 runs short of where they needed to be. He said a huge bowling effort would be required to secure the win. That is what Sunrisers went out and did,” Steyn said on JioHotstar.

Fielding Intensity and Team Spirit Stand Out

Steyn highlighted SRH’s energy in the field and their commitment as key factors behind the win. He pointed to their sharp catching and overall attitude as signs of a team regaining confidence.

“You could see they fielded extremely hard. They took tough catches. They were committed to the cause. When they finally won, I was watching Heinrich Klaasen fielding at long-off. He turned to the crowd, pumped his chest, and held the SRH badge to say, ‘Thank you for backing us, we’re back in this’. “This could be the turning point for them now, where they just keep climbing up the points table,” he added.

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Malinga’s Death Bowling and Klaasen’s Impact Impress

Steyn reserved special praise for Malinga’s execution in the death overs, stating that his precision under pressure proved vital in defending the total.

“When CSK needed to play big shots, the pinpoint yorkers came in from Malinga, right on the block hole. It was a fantastic bit of death bowling from SRH at the back end,” he said. “The first ball he bowled, where he got Gaikwad out, he rushed him with the bouncer. There were a lot of length balls being bowled at that point and runs were flowing. Then, he surprised Gaikwad with the bouncer and got his wicket.

“I thought he bowled well, managed his lengths well, and as the ball got a bit older and started to tail, he managed to hit the block hole. It was a fantastic piece of bowling by this young lad from Sri Lanka,” Steyn said.

Steyn also lauded Klaasen’s batting contribution, noting his ability to stabilise the innings and accelerate when needed.

“Klaasen knows he has the potential to clear the ropes easily and up his strike-rate whenever he wants. He is such a boundary hitter, a powerful hitter. This season, he has played incredibly well and held the innings together for the Sunrisers.

“Whenever they get into a little trouble and lose a couple of wickets, Klaasen is always there, standing like a one-man army to bail them out and get them to good scores. He is also wearing the Orange Cap now. With his consistent batting performances, he truly deserves to be the holder of that cap this season,” Steyn concluded.