It’s no secret that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) haven’t quite lived up to expectations in IPL 2025. With their explosive top three struggling to fire consistently, it raises a valid question: should Heinrich Klaasen be moved up the batting order from his usual No. 5 or 6 slot? Barring one match where he came in at No. 3, Klaasen has largely batted lower down, despite being SRH’s most reliable performer with the bat—and currently their leading run-scorer in the tournament. Given his form, there’s a strong case for giving him more time at the crease. 

"Those of us who've seen him play over the years and those who are watching [know] that's what he is capable of and more," Nick Knight said on ESPNcricinfo's Time Out show. "He just needs an opportunity to do it more often. I think he is batting far too low in that side. Six overs [or] a tick over, get him out there.

On Wednesday night, during SRH’s sixth defeat of the season—this time at home against Mumbai Indians in their eighth match—Heinrich Klaasen came in to bat at No. 5 with the team reeling at 13 for 3 in the fourth over. Things only got worse as they slipped to 35 for 5 by the ninth. “It was game over [by then],” said Knight. Yet, Klaasen, alongside Impact Player Abhinav Manohar, managed to salvage some pride with a gritty partnership. The duo put on 99 runs before Klaasen was dismissed off the final ball of the 19th over, having scored a fighting 71 off 44 deliveries.