IPL 2021, SRH vs CSK: What's next for Hyderabad after being knocked out of playoffs race? Williamson comments

SunRisers Hyderabad's IPL 2021 campaign is over, having been knocked out of the playoffs race following a six-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson comments on what's next for the side.

It was game over for former champion SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) after suffering a six-wicket defeat to fellow former champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 44 of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday. As a result, SRH is knocked out of the playoffs race while CSK has become the first to qualify.

SRH has had a horrible season so far, with star opener and former captain David Warner unable to fire. It has not had a significant change after Kane Williamson took over the captaincy, while he lamented the lack of runs as the reason for defeat on Thursday.

"Not quite enough runs. It wasn't an easy surface, and although we didn't get enough, we showed a fighting spirit in the last quarter with the ball. We need 10-15 extra runs with the bat, though, and we need to make those small," he said during the presentation, post match.

"After the powerplay, we were 40-something, and although you feel like you want more, it was a good start on that surface. You want to score a few more runs, though, but we saw some nice contributions from the lower order. We need to improve. This team is at the top of the table," he added.

He gave due credit to CSK for producing top and consistent performance throughout the season, besides reckoning that it's time for SRH to get back to the drawing board. "If you make better decisions with the bat, the final score could have been a little more. CSK played well. It looked challenging and variable. We are back to the drawing board," he figured.

Speaking on what's next for SRH, Williamson computed that it's all about the growth of the side now. "Although every match is about the W or the L against your name, you do look at the growth of the team. This season has been a bit disjointed given that it was played in two halves, but we'll look to grow and build some momentum," he concluded.