Varun Aaron on what makes Sakib Hussain’s slower ball special: ‘Getting as much turn as an off-spinner’

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Written by: Tanishq Vaddi4 min readHyderabadApr 22, 2026 07:15 AM IST Sakib Hussain of Sunrisers Hyderabad bowls during Match 31 of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India, on April 21, 2026. (CREIMAS) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Sunrisers Hyderabad‘s bowling was in tatters after the game against the Punjab Kings, unable to pose any threat while defending 220 runs. The franchise decided to make some difficult changes by dropping the veterans Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel and putting faith in the young pace duo of Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain in the hope of a turnaround. Since they picked the duo, SRH’s season has turned with three wins in a row. The batting was always expected to be dominant, but the bowling is complementing them, and on Tuesday, it was Eshan Malinga’s turn to deliver the goods as he put in a Player of the Match performance with a spell of 4/32 that derailed the Delhi Capitals’ innings in the chase. While Malinga was the star of the show, his pace bowling partner Sakibul Hussain had another fine outing, claiming 1/29 in four overs in a chase of 243 runs. Each time Ishan Kishan wanted to break a growing partnership, he turned to Malinga or Hussain, and the bowlers answered the captain’s call. Aaron heaped praise on Hussain’s slower ball, admitting the delivery could become more important as the IPL season moves on. “And with Sakib, that slow ball is just brilliant. He’s almost getting as much turn as an off-spinner on the slow ball. Same arm speed, executes his yorkers, can bowl 140 plus as well. So with the way the game is headed and with the way IPL is going, you have to have that pace variance where you can go from 140, 145 down to almost 107,” Aaron added. Aaron also revealed the work that the franchise has been doing with Hussain since buying him in at the auction for 30 lakhs: “He didn’t have access to long-term coaching. And he’s put in a lot of work over the last couple of months. Right from when the World Cup (2026 T20 World Cup) started, we’ve had camps for him specifically. He’s flown down to Bombay for five days. Then we called him to Chennai. There has been a lot of work which has gone on behind the scenes immediately after the auction. And he’s responded really well. And he has that will, he has that hunger. That’s the most important thing.” Aaron said that reverse swing was one of Malinga’s strengths and that, coupled with a yorker-bowling ability, made him a handful against opposition sides. “They’ve got skills that set them apart from any other bowler. If we talk about Malinga, he gets the ball to reverse. We saw reverse from the 11th to the 12th over today. Which gets tough for the opponent because with the white ball, you really can’t see where the shiny side is. And then he can execute his yorkers, has a brilliant slow ball and can bowl 140 plus,” Aaron said in the post-match presentation. “Praful Hinge had a brilliant game, the one before and even the previous one. It’s just that with the game’s headed, you’re going to play horses for courses when it comes to even bowlers. Because we always talk about batsmen. Some batsmen play better on slow tracks, some on fast tracks,” Aaron added. “But when we’re talking about bowlers, I think it’s important, even if somebody is doing really well, to be proactive and make a change. Looking at the surface, knowing the surface you’re going to play on, knowing the opponents you’re going to play against,” Aaron said about the selection strategy for picking bowlers. Pat Cummins is set to be available for the game against the Rajasthan Royals on April 25 in Jaipur. With Dilshan Madhushanka making his debut for SRH on Tuesday and having a decent game, and Malinga performing well when asked about where Cummins will fit in, Aaron responded by saying: “Pat is world-class, one of the top bowlers in the world. So he would walk into any team, irrespective of whether somebody was doing well or not doing well.” Tanishq Vaddi is a Sports Writer with the online team of The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. He primarily covers cricket and is known for his in-depth analysis and technical reporting on the game. Professional Background Role: He covers a wide range of cricketing action, including international matches (Tests, T20Is), domestic tournaments (Challenger Trophy), and major cricket leagues (IPL, WPL). Education: Tanishq holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from MVSR Engineering College and a PG Diploma in English Journalism (Print) from the Asian School of Journalism. Experience: Before joining The Indian Express in late 2022, he gained experience covering the startup ecosystem at YourStory and worked as a copywriter at Story Digital. Key Areas of Coverage Tanishq’s writing often focuses on the technical and psychological aspects of cricket. His notable work includes: Technical Analysis: Explaining bowling actions (e.g., Simon Harmer’s bounce) and batting techniques (e.g., Ben Duckett’s sweep shot). Interviews: He has interviewed prominent figures such as former England player Nick Knight, bowling coach Rajib Datta, and mental health coach Paddy Upton. Statistical Comparisons: Detailed career analysis, such as comparing Shubman Gill’s early career stats with legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Regional Cricket: Reporting on developments in South Indian cricket, including the appointment of Gary Stead as the head coach for Andhra. Notable Recent Articles "IND vs SA 2nd Test: How did Simon Harmer beat Yashasvi Jaiswal with bounce?" (Nov 2025) "2026 Under-19 World Cup: Bowling coach outlines India's preparation" (Nov 2025) "Nick Knight interview: Joe Root will score big runs in Australia" (Nov 2025) "Gary Stead appointed as head coach for Andhra for the 25/26 season" (Sept 2025) "Jason Gillespie explains what makes Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins so special, and why reverse swing will be key with Kookaburra ball" You can follow his latest reports on the Indian Express website or via his Twitter handle @TanishqVaddi. ... Read More Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.