New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowling coach Varun Aaron praised star batter Heinrich Klaasen for stepping up as a finisher in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), especially whenever the top order has failed to fully capitalise.

Aaron highlighted Klaasen's ability to seamlessly switch from rotating strike to accelerating the scoring rate, calling his adaptability and strokeplay against spin a key strength for the team.

'One area where we struggled last season was closing out games when the top order didn't fully deliver, but this year Heinrich Klaasen has taken on that responsibility brilliantly. What makes him special is how effortlessly he can shift gears, from rotating strike at run-a-ball to suddenly accelerating at eight or nine runs an over. That transition is extremely difficult, but Klaasen makes it look very natural. The innings he played in this game was another example of his quality, especially some of the shots against spin, where he created room and struck boundaries off the back foot with remarkable ease,' Aaron said on JioHotstar.

Klaasen contributed a brisk 47 off 26 balls, striking two sixes and six fours against the five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The knock took his tally to 555 runs from 13 matches, at an average of 50.45 and a strike rate of 155.89, with five half-centuries to his name, lifting the SRH batter to the top of the IPL 2026 Orange Cap standings, one run ahead of second-placed Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans.

Sudharsan's 554 runs have also come from 13 matches and include one century and six fifties. GT captain Shubman Gill is third in the race with 552 runs, just three behind Klaasen, underlining how close the Orange Cap contest has become. Gill has also registered five fifties in 13 innings.

Sudharsan has amassed 554 runs from 13 matches, including one century and six fifties. Shubman Gill sits third in the Orange Cap race with 552 runs, just three behind Klaasen. Gill has also notched up five half-centuries in 13 innings. (ANI)