Kavya Maran dragged by Heinrich Klassen; batsman exposes the harsh reality of IPL owners

South Africa and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has opened up about the surprising yet interesting advice he got from former Proteas captain Faf du Plessis, who is the captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Klaasen revealed that the veteran South African batter Du Plessis told him that IPL owners only prioritize players who can hit sixes and win matches for them, given the evolving nature of T20 cricket, where big hits are increasingly valued.

The Proteas keeper also shared his thoughts on achieving consistency and success in the IPL, as he was one of the standout performers in the recently concluded season of the cash-rich T20 league. Klaasen stressed the importance of power-hitting and mental preparation to play aggressive shots.

Heinrich Klaasen shares insights on IPL preparation and Faf du Plessis' key advice

The SRH star further explained how modern IPL preparation has evolved, focusing significantly on technical drills and mental conditioning. He mentioned that extensive bat swing drills are crucial to maintaining an effective swing, which is crucial for powerful hitting, as the ability to hit sixes often defines a player's value in the T20 format, especially in the IPL.

Apart from the technical preparation, Klaasen mentioned that mental resilience is also equally important, as players need to maintain a balance between aggression and strategy to meet the expectations of the fans and the team owners.

Heinrich Klaasen said on ESPN Cricket Monthly: “The funny thing is, I recently asked Faf du Plessis how he became so consistent and successful in the IPL. He said the owners only care about guys that hit sixes and can win you games. It has started getting more and more about the prep we do."

"I do a lot of bat swing drills to make sure your swing is good and understand what your swing requires. Sometimes it becomes a mental game more than anything else because people want to see you hit sixes, so you fight that urge to hit sixes from ball one.”

Small grounds in India help batters hit sixes: Heinrich Klaasen

The Proteas wicketkeeper-batter also commented on the changing dimensions of cricket grounds, saying that most modern venues are relatively small, especially in India, where boundaries range from 60 to 75 meters.

This trend of smaller grounds has made hitting sixes easier for the batters, and he hopes it stays the same, considering the demand for power hitters in the IPL. The 33-year-old was on fire with the bat for SRH in the IPL 2024 and played an aggressive brand of cricket, significantly contributing to the team’s runner-up finish this season.

Klaasen has been consistently delivering for the SRH for the past few seasons and has become one of their key players. The right-hander amassed 479 runs at a strike rate of 171 with the help of 19 fours and 38 sixes for SRH in the IPL 2024.

He signed off by saying, “These days the grounds are not really big unless you play in Australia. Some of the UK fields are a decent hit. In India, I feel like all the grounds are relatively short. The boundaries start at 60 metres and go to 75. So, yeah, the grounds are getting smaller. Hopefully, it stays like that, makes hitting sixes a little bit easier (smiles).”