Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has praised Sunrisers Hyderabad for spotting Sakib Hussain’s potential after Kolkata Knight Riders let him go, saying the pacer had been around the KKR setup for years without getting a real opportunity. Tiwary believes that release has now worked in SRH’s favour, with Hussain emerging as one of the most promising fast-bowling finds of IPL 2026.

Hussain made an immediate impact against Rajasthan Royals, striking in his first over by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and then returning at the death to complete a four-wicket haul. His spell played a major role in SRH’s commanding 57-run victory, underlining just how quickly a previously overlooked bowler can change a team’s fortunes on the biggest stage.

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The pacer had earlier been part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning squad in 2024, but he was never used, with KKR’s pace attack dominated by names such as Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora and Andre Russell. SRH picked him up for his base price of ₹30 lakh at the IPL 2026 mini auction, and that decision is already looking like a smart one.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, Manoj Tiwary also criticised KKR’s habit of releasing players too early, pointing to examples like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer as well. He said Hussain’s breakout moment was no surprise to those who follow domestic cricket closely, but the scale of his debut impact was still remarkable.

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“No one expected two debutants to perform in this way in their very first match,” Manoj Tiwary said. “The SRH bowling coaches had confidence in them and those who follow domestic cricket knew their ability.”

With KKR struggling to find answers to their pace-bowling crisis in IPL 2026, Hussain’s rise has only added to the sting of what could prove to be a costly release.