The IPL 2026 campaign Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) came to a disappointing end after the crushing defeat in front of him Rajasthan Royals (RR) In the Eliminator at the New Chandigarh Stadium. Despite going into the playoffs with one of the most explosive batting line-ups of the season, SRH could not handle the pressure of the knockout encounter and eventually fell short by 47 runs while chasing a mammoth target of 244.
The defeat has once again sparked debate over SRH’s ultra-aggressive batting style and the team’s composure during high-pressure matches. Several SRH batsmen endured disappointing performances in the Eliminator, opener Abhishek Sharma became one of the main talking points after another setback in a crucial playoff game.
Kris Srikkanth slams Abhishek Sharma after SRH’s Eliminator defeat
Former Indian captain Chris Srikanth He did not hold back in assessing SRH’s batting after the eliminator. Srikkanth questioned Abhishek’s repeated struggles in crucial playoff matches and pointed out similarities with SRH’s disappointing finish in IPL 2024.
“Abhishek Sharma has always failed in the playoffs. He failed miserably in the playoffs. This has been SRH’s problem since 2024. Despite Ishan Kisha being blindsided, Archer finished off SRH in the powerplay,” Speaking on the YouTube channel,
Abhishek, who has had another excellent season with the bat and scored 563 runs in IPL 2026, was dismissed for a duck against Rajasthan Royals after attempting an aggressive shot early in the innings. Jofra Archer A massive chase put SRH under immediate pressure and bounced him in the opener.
Srikkanth highlighted that despite Abhishek’s brilliance in the league stage in the last few seasons, his performances in the play-off matches continue to be a concern for Hyderabad. The former India opener pointed out that Abhishek failed to make an impact in the playoffs in consecutive seasons, especially after registering low scores in Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and the IPL 2024 final.
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SRH’s reckless batting approach draws criticism
The former India captain also criticized the general batting approach adopted by Sunrisers Hyderabad during the chase. According to Srikkanth, SRH’s batsmen looked too desperate to attack every delivery instead of building a partnership despite the daunting target. After Abhishek’s early dismissal Ishan Kishi and Head of Travis counter-attacked briefly and added quick runs, but Archer changed pace once again, pulling out both strikes inside the powerplay. Heinrich Klaasen failed to capitalize after getting much of a head start Nitish Kumar Reddy’s battle 38 was ultimately insufficient.
At the start of the match, Rajasthan Royals posted an impressive score of 243/8 thanks to the 15-year-old’s sensational knock. Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Young smashed 97 off just 29 deliveries and completely annihilated the SRH bowling attack during the powerplay overs. Dhruv Jurel he then added a quick half-century to take RR closer to the 250-run mark.
While SRH tried to fight back with a few aggressive cameos, RR’s bowling attack led by Archer and. Nandre Burger He continued to take wickets regularly to shut the door on Hyderabad’s hopes. With the defeat, SRH’s wait for another IPL title continues, while Rajasthan Royals are promoted to Qualifier 2, where they will face. Gujarat Titans (GT) For IPL 2026 finals qualification.
