Pathan Praises SRH Debutants Praful & Sakib for "Extra Firepower" vs RR

It was a pacers' party at Hyderabad as debutants Praful and Sakib reduced Rajasthan Royals to 9/5 and bundled them out for 159 in chase of 217 runs on Monday after an explosive 91 from Ishan Kishan propelled the hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad to 216/6. For the sake of net-run-rate, Donovan Ferreira and Ravindra Jadeja put on a century stand but the impact of two debutants was simply too much for RR to get anywhere near the target.

Speaking on JioStar's 'Match Centre Live', Pathan said that the SRH needed the pace and variation that the duo provided and was particularly impressed by Sakib's wrist position and middle-overs bowling. He also termed Praful as an effective new-ball bowler who could nail those yorkers.

"The biggest positive was that they offered both pace and variation, which is exactly what Sunrisers Hyderabad need. They started with high pace, bounce, and a bit of swing upfront, and as the ball got older, their variations came into play. Sakib, in particular, was outstanding. His wrist position allows him to generate sharp turn and deceptive, slower deliveries, even on a dry surface. Praful Hinge will be effective with the new ball and yorkers, while Sakib can control the middle overs with his variations. That combination makes their bowling attack far more complete," said Pathan.

Pathan said that Praful and Sakib produced a "big boost" for the Men in Orange with that firepower, pointing out that the young bowlers relied on pace and bounce instead of the variations that more experienced Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat were going for.

"This was a big boost for Sunrisers Hyderabad because their bowling needed that extra firepower. While experienced bowlers like Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel were relying on variations, Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain brought in high pace and bounce, which made a real difference," he said.

Pathan also went on to speak about Sakib's journey, pointing out that his mother sold her jewellery for getting him his first pair of shoes.

"Sakib's journey is remarkable. His mother sold her jewellery to buy his first cricket shoes, and to see him deliver a performance like this on such a big stage will be incredibly special for his family. Credit also goes to the team management and Ishan Kishan for backing these young players in a high-pressure game. That trust paid off, and it looks like an exciting phase ahead for SRH," Pathan signed off.

It was Praful's only second T20 appearance. The bowler made his debut for Vidarbha back in 2024 and was a regular during the last Ranji Trophy for his state, picking 16 wickets at an average of 26.37 in 11 innings, as per ESPNCricinfo. His previous T20 appearance was during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy back in December 2025, going for 1/23 against Andhra Pradesh. His T20 exploits in Vidarbha Pro T20 League last year, where he fetched eight wickets in six matches at an average of over 25, played a crucial role in Neco Master Blasters' title charge and played a hand in his IPL deal.

The pacer idolises Cummins, SRH's regular captain, who is yet to join the team and his state senior and one of India's most important pacers of the past decade across all formats, Umesh Yadav, who was by his side during his T20 debut.

While Hinge has picked 27 wickets in 10 first-class matches and has five wickets in six List-A matches, Sakib also has less than 20 professional games under his belt, with 14 wickets in 13 T20s at an average of over 26 and 16 wickets in six first-class matches at an average of above 30.

Put to bat first, SRH posted 216/6, largely powered by skipper Ishan (91 in 44 balls, with eight fours and six sixes) and cameos from Heinrich Klaasen (40 in 26 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (28 in 13 balls, with four boundaries). During the chase of 217 runs, RR's top-order was ripped apart in the first over by debutant Praful (4/34 in four overs), and RR were left hopeless at 9/5. Donovan Ferreira (69 in 44 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (45 in 32 balls, with five fours) did put a century stand for net-run-rate's sake, but RR was bundled out for 159.

- ANI