Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has heaped praise on Sunrisers Hyderabad for their remarkable turnaround in IPL 2026, particularly highlighting their impressive death bowling ahead of their clash against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. After a slow start to the campaign, Sunrisers Hyderabad have surged back into contention with four consecutive wins.

While their explosive batting lineup has drawn attention throughout the season, Aakash Chopra believes it is their bowling — especially in the final overs — that has truly set them apart. “The Sunrisers Hyderabad are on a winning spree. They have won four consecutive games,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. “Where have things changed? This team has an economy of 9.17 in the last four overs, the best among all teams.”

He further pointed out that SRH concede roughly 36 runs in the final four overs on average — a significant improvement compared to Mumbai Indians, who have leaked runs at nearly 10.75 per over in the same phase.

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Chopra credited the emergence of young pacers alongside experienced leadership for this shift. Eshan Malinga has been a standout performer, picking up 14 wickets and sitting among the leading wicket-takers this season. Meanwhile, Sakib Hussain has made an immediate impact with seven wickets in just four matches, including a four-wicket haul on debut.

The return of captain Pat Cummins has further strengthened the attack, with the Australian delivering a tidy spell on his comeback. “You can give credit to Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain, and now Pat Cummins is back as well,” Aakash Chopra added. “That is where everything has changed. The rise of Malinga has been phenomenal.”

Beyond their bowling, SRH’s batting unit continues to fire consistently. Abhishek Sharma has been the standout performer, leading the scoring charts for the franchise with 380 runs at a blistering strike rate above 200. Heinrich Klaasen has anchored the middle order with 349 runs, while Ishan Kishan has carried his white-ball form into the tournament with over 300 runs.

“They’ve chased well, they’ve set big totals, and they’ve crossed 200 multiple times,” Aakash Chopra noted. “This is a seriously dangerous side right now.”

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Currently sitting fourth on the points table with five wins in eight matches, Sunrisers Hyderabad appear to have found the right balance at a crucial stage of the tournament. With both batting firepower and improved bowling discipline, they now look like strong contenders for a playoff spot in IPL 2026.