After a disheartening performance with the bat, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s head coach Daniel Vettori offered a candid explanation about what went wrong during their innings. In a match that began with high expectations, Vettori’s side crumbled to 24 for 4 inside the powerplay, effectively derailing any hopes of setting a competitive target. Reflecting on the outcome, Vettori admitted, “Once we realized that the surface wasn’t what we anticipated, then we needed to build towards that sort of 180 score. That, unfortunately, is difficult to do when you’re 24 for four after the power play.”
The former New Zealand captain’s comments shed light on the importance of adapting quickly in T20 cricket. Teams often go into games with a preconceived idea about pitch behavior, which dictates how they structure their batting strategy. In this case, Vettori and the team expected a true surface that would allow free stroke play. However, once the pitch started offering more grip and variable bounce than anticipated, it became clear that survival, rather than aggression, was going to be the key to building a total.
Unfortunately for Hyderabad, that realization came a bit too late. The top order faltered badly, succumbing to a combination of poor shot selection and high-quality bowling. Within the first six overs, the scoreboard read a dismal 24 for 4, a scenario from which few T20 sides recover. A potential target of 180—a par score on most days—suddenly became an unreachable summit.
Vettori’s frustration was clear, but so was his awareness of the realities of the format. In T20 cricket, momentum is everything, and when a team loses multiple wickets early on, it not only puts pressure on the middle order but also forces a complete recalibration of the batting approach. Instead of attacking, batters are forced into survival mode, eating up deliveries and pushing the required run rate higher with every dot ball.
Despite the early collapse, Vettori remained pragmatic. He acknowledged the effort of the middle and lower order in trying to rescue the innings, but admitted that recovering from such a start was always going to be an uphill task. “We had to try and take it deep, and hope for a late surge, but when you’re four down early, the margin for error disappears completely,” he said.
Vettori also praised the opposition bowlers, who used the conditions effectively, bowling the right lengths and maintaining discipline. He emphasized that understanding and adapting to surfaces is crucial, especially in high-pressure games where a wrong read can mean the difference between a competitive total and a batting disaster.
Looking ahead, the coach expressed hope that the team would learn from this experience. “We’ll go back, assess what went wrong technically and tactically, and come back stronger. This group has the talent—we just need to be smarter in moments like these.”
For Hyderabad, this match will serve as a reminder that in T20 cricket, quick thinking and adaptability are just as important as power hitting. And for Vettori, it’s about turning a tough day into a teaching moment, preparing his squad better for the challenges ahead.