Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 3 (ANI): Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed claims that Sunrisers Hyderabad have a weak bowling attack, emphasising that experienced and in-form players like Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Malinga, and David Payne make the unit strong.

The SRH bowling unit was under scrutiny after their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Chasing a formidable target of 202, RCB reached the finish line with 26 balls to spare, fueled by vintage brilliance from Virat Kohli and a destructive knock from Devdutt Padikkal.

However, SRH followed it with a dominant performance at Eden Gardens against the three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday, thrashing them by 65 runs.

'Sorry to say, sir, but the bowling unit is not as weak as you think. On paper, as you said, there are experienced players like Jaydev Unadkat and Ishan Malinga who are doing really well, and Payne has also been very good. So I don't think we have a weak bowling side,' Nitish Kumar Reddy told the reporters.

'It's just that the brand of cricket we've been playing and the scores we've put on the scoreboard make it seem like the batting is very strong, but I would rate my bowling unit equally highly. They've been very good in that department, especially when playing in Hyderabad. Those wickets are quite flat, and you should appreciate the bowlers who have performed in those conditions because it's never easy,' he added.

Reddy also said that SRH bowlers have proven their strength by successfully defending totals even in tough situations, adding that the team is not weak on paper and that the perception of a weaker bowling unit likely comes from their highly explosive batting lineup overshadowing it.

'Even in such situations, the bowling unit has managed to defend, and you could see the result today. So we have done well as a bowling unit. I wouldn't say we were weak on paper, but our batting is so explosive that it might give that impression,' Reddy concluded.

Reddy played a key role in SRH's win over the three-time IPL champions. He won the Player of the Match for his brilliant 39 runs and two wickets. (ANI)