IPL 2025 | "We have a good chance of reaching 300 runs": Heinrich Klaasen

SRH’s Ishan Kishan (left) and Nitish Kumar Reddy during their 72-run stand off 29 balls v RR in Hyderabad recently. Pic/Getty Images

The marauding Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batters seem to have instilled fear in rival bowlers, particularly at their den. They get into the fast lane straightaway, the moment the umpire signals play. If Travis Head, Abhisekh Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Reddy were the scourge of the bowlers till last year, they have now added pocket dynamo Ishan Kishan this season, who got into the act in his first match with a whirlwind century. With skipper Pat Cummins and coach Daniel Vettori giving the thumbs up to their attacking batting style, SRH batters have set a new high in the art of big-hitting.

Home advantage for SRH

As SRH host Lucknow Super Giants at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday, the visiting team's think-tank will be scratching their heads over what length they should bowl to stop the destructive hosts. Since last season, SRH have scored 287-3 v Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 286-6 v Rajasthan Royals, 277-3 v Mumbai Indians and 266-7 v Delhi Capitals. Given the beast mode the SRH batters are in, if there's one team that can breach the 300-mark, it's them. "300, everyone wants to see it at his IPL, so yeah, why not," said Head. Klaasen added: "We have that batting line up and definitely have a good chance of reaching 300 runs." SRH bowling coach James Franklin couldn't agree more. "We've already seen in a couple of other games that 230, 240 is being achieved. So, why not [300]," he said. At a promotion event recently, skipper Cummins endorsed the same view by putting up three fingers, indicating his team will try to achieve it.

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LSG opener Mitchell Marsh

"That the players are pretty open with trying to evolve their games and expand their games, and there are a lot of batters now who are fully 360 and they've got in credible power. It also has got a huge amount to do with the positive mindset that batters do have now," said Franklin.

LSG depend on Pant & Co

However, if SRH have Head, Sharma, Kishan and Klaasen, LSG also have hard-hitters like Nicholas Pooran, David Miller, Rishabh Pant and Mitchell Marsh. Though Pant failed to score at Visakhapatnam, Marsh and Pooran were in top form during LSG's one-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals.

According to Marsh, 230 is the new par score at most grounds. "We respect that they [SRH] have a phenomenal batting line-up with a lot of power, but we're here to focus on our game and hopefully match them," said Marsh.

The battle lines are drawn and it looks like there will be plenty of fireworks with the willow on Thursday.

SRH's performance at home in 2024
287-3 v Royal Challengers Bengaluru
286-6 v RR (2025)
277-3 v Mumbai Indians
266-7 v Delhi Capitals