Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has said something new. Sunrisers Hyderabad Recruit Salil Arora ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The former player-turned-specialist who hails from Punjab has compared his talent with other IPL stars like Abhishek Sharma, Ramandeep Singh and Naman Dheer.
After a tense bidding war with Mumbai Indians, SRH acquired Arora's services for Rs 1.50 crore. The hefty price tag for the 23-year-old uncapped player comes with a good reason. The right-handed batsman had scored 358 runs at an average of 71.60 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, while with a striking near 200, he scored an unbeaten 125 off just 45 balls against eventual champions Jharkhand.
Pathan He is extremely impressed with Arora's chances in the IPL and believes that his presence in the dressing room will put pressure on players like Aniket Verma and Nitish Kumar Reddy to perform as well, knowing that Arora can be easily replaced in the lower-middle order.
“Salil Arora. He comes from the Punjab cricket system and has already shown strong performances, which is why he has made a name for himself in domestic cricket. Players like Abhishek Sharma, Naman Dheer and Ramandeep Singh have come from Punjab and Salil Arora also looks to be of the same level,” Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“He has been picked up by SRH for around Rs 1.5 crore as a backup player. So, if Nitish Kumar Reddy is not in form, or if Aniket Verma If he is not performing well, he can step in as a backup option. The good thing is that both the main players will also feel the pressure to perform as they know that there is a talented domestic player waiting in the team.
In a team which includes players like Abhishek, Travis Head. Ishan KishanLike Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone, Arora can easily blend into the SRH camp.
SRH will play against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the opening game of the 2026 IPL season at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, March 28.
Get every cricket update! Follow us: :
Leave a Reply