Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar was left impressed with young batter Salil Arora after his explosive unbeaten 30 off just 10 balls played a crucial role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.
The victory marked SRH’s fifth consecutive win, with Bangar praising Arora’s sharp game awareness and clarity of execution under pressure.
The 23-year-old showed no hesitation against some of the best bowlers in the game, taking on Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Trent Boult with a series of boundaries and sixes.
Chasing a daunting target of 244, SRH needed 32 runs from the last four overs but lost Nitish Kumar Reddy early in the 17th over. Heinrich Klaasen, who was already well set, found the perfect partner in Arora.
Arora made an immediate impact, starting with a boundary off Boult before launching Bumrah for a towering six. He continued his aggressive approach, smashing Hardik Pandya for multiple boundaries and sixes in the death overs.
In the 19th over, Arora’s attacking strokeplay proved decisive as he hammered Pandya for a four and two sixes, guiding SRH to a comfortable finish at 249/4 in just 18.4 overs.
Arora’s blistering knock included two fours and three sixes, striking at an incredible rate of 300. Meanwhile, Klaasen remained unbeaten on 65 off 30 balls, anchoring the chase brilliantly.
Speaking on Star Sports, Bangar analysed Arora’s batting style, highlighting his composure and clarity. He said Arora stays balanced, reads the situation well, and commits fully to his shots, a quality that allows him to make a big impact in a short span.
Arora, a wicketkeeper-batter making his IPL debut this season, was picked by SRH for ₹1.5 crore. He had earlier impressed in domestic cricket, finishing as Punjab’s top scorer in the 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 358 runs at a striking rate.
Known for his fearless finishing ability, Arora’s performance against Mumbai Indians has further strengthened his reputation as a promising talent and a perfect fit in SRH’s aggressive batting lineup. (Agency)
