Sunrisers Hyderabad, finalists of IPL 2024, have slumped to number nine on the IPL points table this season. With just two wins and six losses, the team has had little to offer to its fans, and according to former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, the reason is quite simple.

"The simplest explanation is just a lack of confidence. When you start losing the way SRH has, it's tough to bounce back," Hayden was quoted as saying by JioHotstar.

"They were seen as benchmark batters, but right now they're far from that. This has led to issues in the middle order. It comes down to regaining confidence, not just in the top order but across the unit. They need to stop overthinking and focus on their own game. Right now, SRH are chasing this tournament, chasing combinations, and even chasing the strength that used to be their powerful batting unit," Hayden explained.

If SRH's campaign has to be summed up in one word, then that would be 'erratic'. A bright start gave way to inconsistency, as their ultra-aggressive, 'attack-at-all-costs' strategy fell flat.

The explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, so vital last season, have failed to hit the same heights this year.

While Sharma's brilliance secured a win against the Punjab Kings, Head has yet to make his mark truly.

The heavy dependence on their top two has exposed the frailty of the middle order, which has struggled to absorb pressure, something head coach Daniel Vettori also conceded after the seven-wicket loss to the Mumbai Indians.

Meanwhile, after losing to Mumbai Indians, SRH skipper Pat Cummins spoke on his team's performance and said: "In T20, the margins are also very little, you need to perform on the given day. (On the road ahead) We have a few away games now, it will be about assessing each wicket as quickly as possible. Some days it will be all out attack, some days it will be about weighing our options."

(With PTI inputs)

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