Aniket Verma’s Incredible IPL Debut Sparks Excitement for Sunrisers Hyderabad

CHENNAI, India — Sunrisers Hyderabad‘s latest recruit Aniket Verma made headlines on Thursday by smashing an explosive 36 runs off just 13 balls during an IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants in Hyderabad.

Coming in at number six, the 22-year-old batter from Madhya Pradesh showcased his prowess with five towering sixes, a performance that proved crucial for his team’s late-game flourish. Verma, acquired by the Hyderabad franchise for INR 30 lakhs during the IPL auction, made a significant impact in just his second T20 match.

“36 runs, 5 massive sixes — Aniket Verma’s explosive cameo gave the much-needed late flourish,” the official IPL account tweeted shortly after his performance.

Before joining Sunrisers Hyderabad, Verma gained recognition in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he played only one senior domestic T20. His breakthrough came in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, finishing as the highest run-scorer with 244 runs at a remarkable strike rate of over 205.

Incredibly, Verma also has experience as a medium-pace bowler, and previously scored a century against Karnataka Under-23 in a men’s one-day tournament.

Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s mentor Dinesh Karthik expressed confidence in his batters ahead of their match against Chennai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. Karthik emphasized that playing spin is one of their strengths, and he trusts his team’s abilities against the formidable spin attack of CSK.

“One of our strengths is the way we play spin. CSK have three very good spinners, but we also have very competent batters who we trust. One of the reasons why we picked them is how well we play spin,” Karthik said.

Karthik also addressed concerns regarding Virat Kohli‘s performance against slower bowlers. Despite some criticism over Kohli’s strike rate, Karthik reassured fans of his fitness for the upcoming match, indicating Kohli had handled a previous back issue effectively.

“He is coming off some serious runs in the Champions Trophy. He has batted well against spin in the recent past, especially in white-ball cricket,” Karthik stated.

Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming praised Rachin Ravindra‘s situational awareness, underscoring his importance to the team. Ravindra recently delivered a standout performance against the Mumbai Indians, scoring 65 off 45 balls.

“Rachin’s development over the last 12 months has been really good. His last game against RCB was one of his best innings,” Fleming remarked.

As both matches unfold, the excitement surrounding the IPL continues to build, showcasing emerging talents and seasoned veterans alike.