There was huge excitement when the Sunrisers Hyderabad picked Dale Steyn and Trent Boult in their playing eleven. The prospect of two exciting swing bowlers bowling in tandem with an Indian pace battery providing ideal cushion was well worth watching. Everything went according to script as the Sunrisers bowlers did an outstanding job to restrict the Mumbai Indians to just 157. The run-chase almost felt like a meager formality as Shikhar Dhawan set the ball rolling with partner David Warner in the first five overs of the match. But then began a sudden slide as Warner and Dhawan fell in quick succession leaving the job to a frail Sunrisers middle order that was yet to make a mark in the competition. It was a perfect opportunity to prove that the side wasn’t merely dependant on the openers and had enough batting depth to take the side through if the openers failed. But to their dismay what followed was yet another poor batting performance from the middle order that helped Mumbai Indians register a much need win in the tournament. KL Rahul one of the key batsmen in the Sunrisers batting line-up agreed that the form of the middle order was a cause of concern. Speaking to iplt20.com after the match, he said, “It is the batting and especially the middle order which is a worry for us. Mumbai Indians did bowl well, but more than them bowling well it was just a bad performance with the bat.” Rahul was critical of his own performance and highlighted the areas that he would need to work on. “I walked in today and it is very disappointing that I couldn’t close the game for the team. I think I need to play smartly. I have been playing some stupid shots. I have been getting off to starts, which is a positive sign. My feet are moving well and I am looking confident but I have to be a smarter in the middle and soak up that pressure. “I have to keep going through and play twenty overs. Once I play 20-25 balls the team is expecting you to deliver and get a big score. I have been lacking on that front. I am really disappointed with my effort today. I need to get over this and come strong in the coming games.” Visibly dejected, Rahul looked at batting with more responsibility in the future and coming out with better performances. “My role in the side is very simple. I have to bat through the twenty overs and make sure the batting revolves around me in the middle order. Tom Moody and (VVS) Laxman sir have shown immense faith in me and my abilities in the past few years. They believe a lot in me but it is disappointing from an individual point of view when you fail to deliver at that time. We need to pull our socks up and come in with a better attitude in the coming games. We have to work hard on our batting.” With the middle order failing to get the team home time and again, the Sunrisers have obviously looked quite dependant on the opening duo of Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner - a fact that Rahul agreed with. “The middle order has to wake up and get runs for the team. If the middle order keeps batting like this then there is going to be too much pressure on Warner and Dhawan at the top of the order,” he said. “There is firepower in the middle order with Ravi Bopara and Naman Ojha who can hit the ball, but we just have not been able to click well as a batting unit. It is something that we need to work on. We still have games left in the competition and it will be good if we can learn our lessons, pull up our socks and put in better performances for the team. That is what we need from the middle order.” Apart from the negatives, Rahul reflected on the positives from the game and reserved some high praise for the bowling unit. “I think throughout the tournament the bowlers have been doing really well. We have been bowling very well at the death and hardly given away many runs towards the end of the innings. It has been an incredible effort from all the fast bowlers and our bowling unit has been one of the highlights in the tournament so far. The way we have been hustling in the field has been really good. The intent is there. We lost; we are disappointed; but the dressing room is still cheered up. The guys are smiling and we believe in ourselves that we can comeback in the tournament.”