What was SRH bowling coach Varun Aaron’s plea for debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain before RR match: ‘…going to be really angry with you’
Bowling coach Varun Aaron revealed that he had pleaded with the bowlers ahead of the game to enjoy the occasion, or else he would be upset with both of them.
Praful Hinge of Sunrisers Hyderabad celebrates after taking the wicket of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals during Match 21 of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India, on April 13, 2026. (CREIMAS)
Two key architects of the victory – debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain – took a combined figures of 8/58 to lead the hosts to victory. Bowling coach Varun Aaron revealed that he had pleaded with the bowlers ahead of the game to enjoy the occasion, or else he would be upset with both of them.
“My only plan to them was to just enjoy the game today because you debut only once in any form of cricket, and I feel from where they’ve come, both the bowlers and what they’ve done today is massive, and you’ve just got to enjoy the game. My only plea to both of them was before the game that if I don’t see you enjoying the game, I’m going to be really angry with you, and they really did enjoy the game, and we all enjoyed it as well,” Aaron said in the post-match press conference.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ✅
Praful Hinge ✅
Lhuan-dre Pretorius ✅
A dream start for Praful Hinge on his #TATAIPL debut 🧡
Aaron also credited the SRH management for supporting his call to buy Praful and Sakib Hussain, who the 2016 IPL champions bagged at base prices of 30 lakhs at the auction. “I had seen these bowlers before. I did present their names to the management, to Dan (Dan Vettori), and to all the other coaches, but at the end of the day, everybody’s buy-in is needed to pick boys at the auction. So I wouldn’t take the credit.”
“It’s the team’s credit that we believed in these boys; we picked them. When I had seen them across different tournaments and in the nets, I always knew they had the X factor when it came to all of them,” Aaron added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi trap
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the buzz around the Uppal ahead of the game; however, the anticipation was vaporised as soon as the second innings began, when the young Praful outfoxed Vaibhav with a shorter delivery, who got beaten all ends up and was taken by Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Praful, speaking to the broadcasters after the game, said, “The best one was the first wicket of Sooryavanshi, because he was in form. I had already told a couple of people that I would get him out on the very first ball, either with a bouncer or in some way. I just wanted his wicket on the first ball. That was the plan. Also, our bowling coach Varun bhai helped me a lot.”
However, Aaron said the only part he played in the plan was which angle he wanted Praful to operate from. “The conversation was that he wanted to go around the wicket, and I was like, ‘No, you just stay over the wicket. I’m sure you’ll get him out.”
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“I mean, it’s teamwork, you know,” Aaron conceded. “At the end of the day, all credit goes to Praful. He had the conviction to get Vaibhav out. He said, ‘I’ve gotten Vaibhav out before, I’m going to get him out today. But the plan was his, the conviction was his, and I’m really happy for him.”
Tanishq Vaddi is a Sports Writer with the online team of The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. He primarily covers cricket and is known for his in-depth analysis and technical reporting on the game.
Professional Background
Role: He covers a wide range of cricketing action, including international matches (Tests, T20Is), domestic tournaments (Challenger Trophy), and major cricket leagues (IPL, WPL).
Education: Tanishq holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from MVSR Engineering College and a PG Diploma in English Journalism (Print) from the Asian School of Journalism.
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express in late 2022, he gained experience covering the startup ecosystem at YourStory and worked as a copywriter at Story Digital.
Key Areas of Coverage
Tanishq’s writing often focuses on the technical and psychological aspects of cricket. His notable work includes:
Technical Analysis: Explaining bowling actions (e.g., Simon Harmer’s bounce) and batting techniques (e.g., Ben Duckett’s sweep shot).
Interviews: He has interviewed prominent figures such as former England player Nick Knight, bowling coach Rajib Datta, and mental health coach Paddy Upton.
Statistical Comparisons: Detailed career analysis, such as comparing Shubman Gill’s early career stats with legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
Regional Cricket: Reporting on developments in South Indian cricket, including the appointment of Gary Stead as the head coach for Andhra.
Notable Recent Articles
"IND vs SA 2nd Test: How did Simon Harmer beat Yashasvi Jaiswal with bounce?" (Nov 2025)
"2026 Under-19 World Cup: Bowling coach outlines India's preparation" (Nov 2025)
"Nick Knight interview: Joe Root will score big runs in Australia" (Nov 2025)
"Gary Stead appointed as head coach for Andhra for the 25/26 season" (Sept 2025)
"Jason Gillespie explains what makes Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins so special, and why reverse swing will be key with Kookaburra ball"
You can follow his latest reports on the Indian Express website or via his Twitter handle @TanishqVaddi. ... Read More
