You’re an SRH fan, still buzzing from their 2024 IPL final run, expecting Travis Head to smash sixes and Pat Cummins to fire yorkers. Then, wham—IPL 2025 hits you like a bad plot twist. With just 3 wins in 11 games, a measly 7 points, and a rain-soaked washout against Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 5, 2025, Sunrisers Hyderabad are officially out of the playoff race. Coach Daniel Vettori, the Kiwi tactician with a knack for straight talk, just laid it all bare: tricky pitches, misfired bats, and a team that fell apart faster than a soggy biryani. So, what turned SRH’s Orange Army into a meme fest of despair? Grab your popcorn as we dive into Vettori’s brutal breakdown, unpack SRH’s 2025 trainwreck, and hear the X-fueled cries of fans who deserve better.
SRH’s 2025 Flop: A Numbers Game Gone Wrong
Let’s start with the stats, because they’re as grim as a Hyderabad monsoon. SRH’s 2025 season is a far cry from their 2024 heroics, where they lit up scoreboards with 200+ totals in 6 innings and charged to the final. This year? They’re ninth, with a max of 13 points possible and an NRR (-0.406) that screams struggle.
| Metric | IPL 2024 | IPL 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 8/14 | 3/11 |
| 200+ Scores | 6 innings | 2 innings |
| Points | 17 | 7 |
| NRR | +0.414 | -0.406 |
| Top Scorer | Travis Head (567 runs) | Travis Head (194 runs) |
| Top Bowler | Pat Cummins (17 wickets) | Pat Cummins (13 wickets) |
Source: ESPNcricinfo, IPLT20.com, WIONews
Vettori didn’t mince words: “We haven’t been consistent. We’ve not put together complete performances”. The DC washout was the final nail, but SRH’s coffin was built over weeks of flops. Let’s unpack the carnage.
Vettori’s Big Reveal: Hyderabad’s Pitches Betrayed SRH
In 2024, Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was a batter’s dream, with 7 of 12 innings crossing 200. Fast forward to 2025, and the pitch turned traitor. Vettori pointed to unexpectedly bowler-friendly conditions as SRH’s kryptonite. “The surfaces have been tricky, not easy for batters,” he said post-DC washout. Only 4 of 11 innings in Hyderabad hit 200 this year, with two pitches yielding 250+ totals but four favoring pacers, especially in the powerplay.
“The new ball’s been sticky, not coming onto the bat,” Vettori noted. “With some of the best new-ball bowlers in the IPL, it’s been tough.” Think MI’s Jasprit Bumrah or GT’s Prasidh Krishna, who tore through SRH’s top order. Even Cummins, who made history as the first captain to take 3 powerplay wickets in a 2025 game, couldn’t save the day. X fans were gutted, with@OrangeArmy4Life tweeting, “Hyderabad pitches went from sixer city to graveyard! Vettori, what’s the deal?”
Batting Blues: Head, Sharma, and Kishan Go Missing
SRH’s 2024 magic came from their bazooka top order: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen. In 2025, they fizzled like a damp firecracker. Vettori admitted rivals cracked the code: “Teams put a lot of planning into our top three”. Here’s the wreckage:
- Travis Head: Down from 567 runs in 2024 to 194 in 11 games. Left-arm pacers like RR’s Trent Boult exploited his weakness, dismissing him thrice.
- Abhishek Sharma: Averaged under 20, with GT’s Krishna owning him in the powerplay. His 22 off 10 against MI was a rare spark.
- Ishan Kishan: Started with a blazing 102 in SRH’s 286/6 (IPL’s second-highest total) against RR but slumped to 112 runs in his next 9 games.
Vettori stood by SRH’s aggressive ethos, saying, “There’s no talk of tempering down”. But misreading pitches—like the slow Wankhede track where they crawled to 143/8 against MI—proved costly. As@Cricketracker tweeted, “SRH’s batting is a ghost of 2024. Head and Kishan need a miracle!”
Bowling Leaks and Fielding Fumbles
Cummins aside, SRH’s bowling was a sieve. Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), every bowler except Cummins bled runs at 10+ economy. Spinners like Mayank Markande struggled, with Vettori noting, “Spinners haven’t had the impact we needed”. Rookie legspinner Zeeshan Ansari grabbed 3 wickets against DC, but it was a lone bright spot.
Fielding was even worse. Vettori called it “pretty poor”, and he wasn’t kidding—dropped catches against GT and sloppy ground work against MI gifted runs. “We haven’t been near our best in any discipline,” he sighed. Fans on X were merciless, with@SRHFanatic raging, “SRH’s fielding is a comedy show. Vettori, fix it!”
Tactical Fumbles: Too Stubborn to Adapt?
SRH’s all-guns-blazing batting worked on 2024’s flat Hyderabad tracks, but 2025’s varied conditions—tacky Wankhede, slow Chepauk—exposed them as one-dimensional. Vettori’s insistence on “no tempering down” raised eyebrows, especially after SRH’s 0-5 away record (the only team without an away win). Key blunders:
- Wankhede Misstep: SRH aimed for 180 but scored 143/8 on a slow pitch. MI chased it in 15.4 overs.
- Chepauk Cluelessness: A 154/5 total against CSK won them a rare game, but it showed their struggle on spin-friendly tracks.
- toisports nailed it: “SRH’s stuck in 2024 mode. Vettori needs a backup plan!” Adapting to conditions is non-negotiable, and SRH’s rigidity cost them.
Silver Linings: Aniket Verma and Cummins Steal the Show
Despite the gloom, Vettori found hope in young blood. Aniket Verma, a 23-year-old batter, smashed 190 runs in 9 games, including a fiery 36 off 13 against LSG. “He’s a key member going forward,” Vettori beamed. Cummins, meanwhile, was a one-man army, with his 3/19 against DC setting an IPL captaincy record. “Pat’s bowled in every role and taken wickets,” Vettori said.X fans rallied behind them, with@WIONews tweeting, “Cummins and Verma are SRH’s only sparks. Build around them!” But even these gems couldn’t salvage the season.
Where SRH Stands in the IPL 2025 Playoff Race
SRH’s early exit leaves them playing for pride in their last three games, starting with Punjab Kings on May 9. Meanwhile, the playoff race is electric:
- RCB (16 points): Virat Kohli’s 443 runs make them top dogs.
- MI (14 points): Rohit Sharma and Bumrah are hitting peak form.
- GT (14 points): Shubman Gill’s side leads with a +1.104 NRR.
- PBKS (13 points): A wildcard, but their bowling’s shaky.
| Rank | Team | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RCB | 16 | +0.472 |
| 2 | MI | 14 | +0.889 |
| 3 | GT | 14 | +1.104 |
| 9 | SRH | 7 | -0.406 |
Source: IPLT20.com
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What’s Next for SRH? A 2026 RebootVettori’s still optimistic, saying, “We’re a very good team if we get on a roll”. But with 2025 a write-off, SRH’s gaze turns to 2026. Big questions linger:
- Batting Reset: Can Head, Sharma, and Kishan bounce back, or is a top-order shake-up needed?
- Bowling Boost: Will SRH invest in spinners to counter Markande’s flops?
- Tactical Tweak: Must Vettori ditch the “all-attack” mantra for flexibility?
Vettori’s Wake-Up Call
Vettori’s honesty shows a coach who gets it: SRH’s core is strong, but 2025 exposed cracks. His faith in Verma and Cummins, paired with his pitch analysis, offers a roadmap. But as@sportstarweb tweeted, “SRH let themselves down every game. Consistency’s the key”. The IPL’s a brutal beast—one year you’re kings, the next you’re cannon fodder. Can Vettori rebuild the Orange Army into contenders?
