"Bhajji was with us and he said it's good he left cricket" - Aakash Chopra on SRH's IPL 2025 win vs RR

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded the SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) destructive batting in their IPL 2025 win against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He disclosed that Harbhajan Singh was relieved he had retired and didn't have to bowl to their batters.

SRH smashed 286/6 after being asked to bat first in Hyderabad in the afternoon game on Sunday, March 23. They then restricted RR to 242/6 to register a 44-run win in their IPL 2025 opener.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered how the opposition bowlers could contain the SunRisers Hyderabad batters.

"The Hyderabad guys are asking whether you wouldn't welcome them as they are the same who you left last season. Everyone hits, and that is where you feel what a team they are. How and why are you doing this? What should the bowlers do? Bhajji was with us and he said it's good he left cricket, or else who would have bowled against them," Chopra said (0:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator lauded Ishan Kishan, SRH's new batting recruit, for scoring a belligerent century with conventional cricketing shots.

"Let me start with Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan's story is very interesting. There was a question about whether he is batting at the right position. He is not a No. 3, he is actually an opener. He hit a lot in his first innings and struck a hundred. His first century, batting at No. 3. It was already a powerhouse batting order and another name has been added to it," Chopra observed.

"He started smashing and then kept smashing. The thing I liked were the two inside-out sixes he hit against Jofra (Archer) over cover. There were no unconventional shots. He reached a hundred with cricketing shots. He has made an already strong batting lineup stronger," he added.

SRH acquired Kishan for ₹11.25 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. The destructive wicketkeeper-batter smashed an unbeaten 106 off 47 deliveries with the help of 11 fours and six sixes in Sunday's game against RR to prove his worth.

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"Travis Head started hitting at the start and he kept hitting" - Aakash Chopra lauds SRH opener's knock in IPL 2025 win vs RR

Travis Head smashed 67 runs off 31 deliveries in SRH's IPL 2025 clash against RR. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Travis Head for giving the SunRisers Hyderabad a flying start.

"Will Hyderabad become the first team to score 300? I am asking that question because they have four of the five highest scores in IPL history to their name. What a team they are. Travis Head started hitting at the start and he kept hitting," he said (2:55).

While highlighting that SRH's entire batting lineup batted explosively, the analyst opined that they would post a 300-run total this season.

"He opens up his front leg and then demolishes (the bowlers). He was absolutely brilliant. He tortured Jofra Archer at the start. His batting was incredible. Abhishek's batting was also incredible till the time he was there, and then they just kept hitting. If you have reached 286, this team will score 300. This team is very dangerous," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that the Rajasthan Royals' bowling was weak, with Jofra Archer (0/76 in four overs) taken to the cleaners. However, he praised the RR batters, especially Dhruv Jurel (70 off 35) and Sanju Samson (66 off 37), for providing some resistance during the run chase.