Key Highlights:
It was supposed to be a high-scoring thriller at Eden Gardens, but Vaibhav Arora had other plans. The young KKR pacer ripped through Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) top order in a fiery opening spell, setting the tone for an easy win for the defending champions in their latest IPL 2025 clash.
Vaibhav Arora Turns the Game Early
Bowling with pace and precision, Vaibhav Arora dismissed both Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan inside the powerplay, turning what looked like a solid SRH chase into a complete collapse.
- Abhishek Sharma: 2 (6 balls)
- Ishan Kishan: 2 (5 balls)
- Travis Head: 4 (2 balls, dismissed by Harshit Rana)
With Travis Head already back in the dugout after a sensational tumbling catch by Harshit Rana, Arora’s double blow left SRH gasping at 31/3 inside the first 5 overs.
His aggressive line and relentless control over length deliveries left SRH’s top order without answers.
“Travishek” Combo Flops Again
Fans had huge expectations from the opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, dubbed the “Travishek” pair. But for the second straight game, the pair failed to deliver.
Despite Head starting with a boundary, his mistimed shot off a full-length delivery resulted in one of the best catches of the tournament. Rana’s diving effort drew loud cheers from the Eden crowd and deflated SRH’s morale instantly.
SRH Batting in Trouble – No Momentum, No Fight
With their core top order gone, the responsibility shifted to Nitish Kumar Reddy and Aniket Verma. But even they struggled against KKR’s disciplined bowling attack.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: 19 off 15
- SRH score after 7 overs: 51/4
KKR bowlers bowled tight lines, and every attempt by SRH batters to break free led to risky shots and more pressure. SRH’s “go big or go home” mantra clearly backfired again.
KKR’s Big Total Sets the Stage
Earlier, Venkatesh Iyer put on a batting masterclass, scoring a rapid 60 off 29 balls. He was well supported by:
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi: 50 (32 balls)
- Rinku Singh: 32 (17 balls)
- Ajinkya Rahane: 38 (27 balls)
The team scored 66 runs in the last four overs, taking the total to a commanding 200/6—a score that looked just out of SRH’s reach from the moment Vaibhav Arora hit his rhythm.
What Went Wrong for SRH?
1. Poor Top Order Execution
The aggressive approach from the top three lacked any plan B. When early boundaries didn’t come, panic set in.
2. Underestimating KKR’s Bowling
Despite focusing on their own firepower, SRH failed to read the swing and accuracy KKR pacers brought early on.
3. No Middle Order Stability
Only Nitish Reddy offered resistance, but the team’s over-reliance on a big start made the middle order’s job too difficult.
KKR’s Tactical Brilliance
The decision to bring Vaibhav Arora as an Impact Sub worked perfectly. He took control with the new ball, swinging it both ways and forcing poor shot selections from SRH batters.
Additionally, Harshit Rana and Andre Russell played key roles, picking a wicket each to maintain pressure from both ends.
Updated Playing XIs
SRH XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Simarjeet Singh, Mohammed Shami, Zeeshan Ansari
Impact Subs: Travis Head, Abhinav Manohar, Jaydev Unadkat, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder
KKR XI:
Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ramandeep Singh
Impact Subs: Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia
Vaibhav Arora Breaks SRH’s Backbone
In a match filled with hype around SRH’s batting firepower, it was Vaibhav Arora’s early spell that completely shifted the narrative. With swing, precision, and a clear game plan, Arora broke the backbone of SRH’s lineup before they could even settle.
KKR’s 200/6 was always going to be a tough ask, but Arora made sure it never became a contest. As SRH grapples with back-to-back failures from their top order, they may need to rethink whether aggression without consistency is a strategy worth sticking to.
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