‘You can’t drive…’: Ashwin’s blunt verdict on Abhishek Sharma after SRH loss

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s poor batting collapse against Gujarat Titans has triggered strong reactions, with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin questioning the team’s approach during the chase. SRH were bowled out for just 86 while chasing 169, suffering their biggest defeat in IPL history with an 82-run loss.

Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel after the match, particularly pointed towards opener Abhishek Sharma and said the youngster failed to adjust his game according to the conditions. Using a driving comparison, Ashwin explained how attacking cricket without reading the pitch can backfire badly.

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Ashwin explains where Abhishek Sharma went wrong

Ashwin felt SRH’s batters played with the same aggressive mindset despite the difficult batting surface and said Abhishek needed to spend more time at the crease instead of forcing shots early in the innings.

“Can Abhishek Sharma play the shot? Of course he can. But where did he go wrong? It’s like driving; you can hit 100 or 200 mph on a highway, but if you drive like that in a traffic jam, someone is going to get hurt. Cricket is a game where conditions are king. I want to see Abhishek Sharma take that ball in one run. Go to the other end. Build a partnership,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: Big blow for SRH: Pat Cummins punished by BCCI after heavy defeat to Gujarat Titans

Kohli and Rohit praised for adapting to situations

The veteran spinner also highlighted why players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to succeed consistently in different conditions. According to Ashwin, top batters understand the situation quickly and shape their innings accordingly instead of blindly attacking every ball.

“Legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are celebrated because they read the conditions and adapt. They don’t drive at the same speed on every road. In this match, SRH should have chased the total, but they failed because the top three didn’t take responsibility,” he added.

Pat Cummins fined after SRH’s heavy defeat

Apart from the poor batting show, Pat Cummins was also penalised after the match for maintaining a slow over-rate during the game against Gujarat Titans.

The SRH captain was fined Rs 12 lakh as it was the team’s first over-rate offence of the IPL 2026 season.

“As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Cummins was fined INR 12 lakhs,” the IPL said in a statement.

Also Read: Shubman Gill’s GT pacer reveals secret behind Gujarat Titans’ bowling masterclass against SRH