Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Varun Aaron heaped praise on young pacers Praful Hinge and Sakib Husain after the side secured their berth in the IPL 2026 playoffs with a five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on 19 May. The victory made SRH the third team to qualify for the playoffs this season, joining Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Aaron's Praise for the Young Bowlers

Speaking on JioHotstar, Aaron credited the duo's rapid development to their hunger and work ethic. “A lot of credit goes to Praful Hinge and Sakib Husain because both of them are very eager to learn and aim to play for India,” he said.

“When young players have that kind of ambition, dedication and hard work follow naturally. Both of them put in a lot of effort, not just during the tournament but also in the lead-up to the IPL. Our preparations with them started almost two months before the season. We organised specialised camps and worked closely on different aspects of their bowling.”

Aaron added that their openness to feedback was what set them apart. “The most impressive thing was how open they were to learning, and now they are starting to see the results of all that hard work,” he said.

Key Performances Against CSK

The youngsters backed Aaron's confidence with match-winning contributions during Chennai Super Kings' innings. Sakib Husain dismissed the dangerous Urvil Patel, while both bowlers claimed two wickets each to help restrict Chennai to 180/7.

Notably, this is not an isolated flash — both bowlers have been consistent contributors across SRH's campaign this season, a direct product of the structured pre-season camp Aaron described.

Ishan Kishan and Klaasen Anchor the Chase

Ishan Kishan anchored SRH's run chase with a composed 70 off 47 balls, before Heinrich Klaasen's 47 shifted the momentum decisively in the middle overs to seal the five-wicket win.

Aaron singled out Klaasen's finishing ability as a key evolution from last season. “One area where we struggled last season was finishing games when the top order didn't fully deliver. This year, Heinrich Klaasen has taken on that responsibility very well,” he said.

“What makes him special is how easily he can change his approach, going from rotating the strike at a run-a-ball to suddenly scoring eight or nine runs an over. That transition is tough, but Klaasen makes it seem effortless.”

Aaron also highlighted Klaasen's shot-making against spin. “The innings he played in this match showed his quality, especially some of the shots against spin, where he created space and hit boundaries off the back foot with impressive ease,” he added.

SRH's Playoff Picture

Sunrisers Hyderabad are now among three confirmed playoff teams in IPL 2026, alongside Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The win at Chepauk underlines SRH's credentials as a well-rounded unit this season, with both their bowling depth and finishing batting proving decisive. The final playoff spots remain to be decided as the league stage concludes.