Mullanpur (Punjab) [India], May 27 (ANI): As Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) eliminator, it is only right that the transformation of the franchise's bowling is looked into, which has played a massive role in their turnaround after a poor start.

Four games in the IPL 2026, the Sunrisers looked like two different teams while batting and bowling. While their batters would play the same, ferocious and record-breaking brand of cricket that turned the franchise into a must-see television team, their bowlers would waste their hard work by leaking runs. The experience of seasoned campaigners Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel did not do anything good, while Eshan Malinga and debutant David Payne struggled for form. The franchise lost three of its first four matches.

However, during the fifth match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), the franchise's then stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan played a gamble which turned into a masterclass, handing debut caps to Vidarbha's Praful Hinge and Bihar's Sakib Hussain. The bowlers etched their names in IPL history with a four-wicket haul on debut. For Hinge, the night was even more special as he became the first-ever bowler in the tournament's history to take three wickets in the opening over.

Starting from that SRH match, the Men in Orange have turned from performing in bits and pieces to putting some of the most complete team performances of the season, with the return of skipper Pat Cummins boosting the squad. After losing three out of their first four games, they won against Rajasthan and did not look back.

From three losses in four matches, they ended at the third spot in the table, with nine wins and five losses and 18 points. In their next ten matches, they won their next eight and lost just two.

Here is how SRH underwent a transformation statistically in terms of pace bowling:

-In first four matches (spanning three losses): 11 wickets at an average of 45.36 (ninth best among all teams), an economy rate of 11.47 (worst among all teams), and a strike rate of 23.7 (third worst among all teams), as per ESPNCricinfo.

-In the next ten matches (spanning eight victories): 56 wickets at an average of 27 (third-best among all teams), an economy rate of 9.48 (fifth best among all teams) and a strike rate of 17 (third best among all teams)

In the later ten matches, SRH went from having zero four-wicket hauls to having three.

Overall, SRH is the fourth-most successful pace unit among all, with 67 wickets, with their average of 30.01 (fourth-best among all teams), economy rate of 9.91 being fifth-best and their strike rate of 18.1 (fourth-best among all teams).

Eshan is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with 19 scalps in 14 matches at an average of 24.57 and an economy rate of 9.27, with best figures of 4/32. From just three wickets in his first four matches, Malinga captured 16 in his next 10 matches, including a four-wicket haul.

Youngster Sakib (15 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 23.00, economy rate of 9.07 and a four-fer) has been incredible with his pace variations, slower deliveries and yorkers, while Praful (11 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.81, with a four-fer) has also handled some crunch situations brilliantly. Being hit for runs has not affected his rhythm and confidence as much as batters wanted, with his defence of 18 runs in the final over against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after eating up 53 runs in the first three overs being an example. He went for just seven runs in the final over.

The return of skipper Pat Cummins (eight wickets in seven matches at an average of 30.37 and an economy rate of 8.67, with best figures of 3/28) has also made a difference in terms of giving the bowling attack a guidance figure and a strong on-field aura. (ANI)