IPL 2026: SRH's Heinrich Klaasen Says He Is "Not Worried" About Poor Record Against CSK
Ahead of his side's match vs CSK, SRH wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen said he is not worried about his poor record against the side.
Ahead of his side's much-anticipated derby against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen said he is not worried about his poor record against the Men in Yellow, stating that his risk-taking against their spinners has simply not paid off so far. CSK will take on SRH on April 18 as part of the competition's 'Rivalry Week', which will kick off from April 12 onwards. However, the South African batter has failed to fire against CSK, scoring just 61 runs across five innings at an average of 15.25, with a best score of 20. His strike rate against CSK has also been sluggish at 96.82.
At Hyderabad, where the first of their two meetings this season will be held, Klaasen has scored 10* in his only innings. Meanwhile, at CSK's iconic home venue of Chepauk, he has managed just 44 runs in three innings.
Answering ANI's query at the 'JioStar Press Room' ahead of the 'Rivalry Week', Klaasen said that Chennai is not the easiest place to play cricket for batters.
"Playing at Chennai is probably not the easiest place to play cricket, especially if you have, I call it normally the 'Jadeja wicket', where you can bowl at 100 kilometres an hour and the ball spin or just holds a little bit. Luckily, he is not there this season (traded to Rajasthan Royals), so it is a completely different team," he said.
Klaasen said that for him, it is about hitting the ball a little longer and clearing the boundary.
"It is also about giving myself enough of an opportunity to make a bigger impact. It is sometimes a team that presents a lot of spinners, especially in the conditions that they play in, you have to take that risk and it has not paid off yet. So I am not too worried about it. It is just about for me finding form. And when I do get form, it is just to cherish it and make sure that I keep holding on it," he added.
Klaasen has little reason to worry this season, having started the campaign with 145 runs in the first three matches at an average of 48.33 and a strike rate of 147.95, including two fifties and a best score of 62. He is SRH's highest run-getter so far and the third-highest overall.
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Sunrisers Hyderabad
Chennai Super Kings