‘Six-hitter’ Abhinav Manohar hopes for more playing opportunities at SRH

Abhinav Manohar's six-hitting prowess earns him big bucks in IPL auctions, showcasing his value in T20 cricket.

It’s incumbent on middle-order batters worth their salt in the T20 format to be able to hit sixes from the outset. Yes, there’s seldom time to assess conditions, but that’s why those with the skills to pull it off are sought-after in the IPL.

Consider Karnataka’s Abhinav Manohar. During the 2022 mega auction, the batter was pursued by Gujarat Titans for ₹2.6 crore, which was 13 times his base price of ₹30 lakh.

When the 30-year-old’s name came up in the mega auction in Jeddah last Sunday, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) spent ₹3.2 crore and beat competition from four other franchises, including defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders, for his services.

It’s all to do with Manohar’s six-hitting ability. He may not have portrayed it in the IPL yet – across three seasons, he played only 19 games for Titans. But the fact that his former franchise also showed interest in Manohar during the recent auction clearly suggests there’s promise to unlock.

“It feels good when so many teams want you. It means you are doing something right. I think I will get a lot more opportunities to play (for SRH) next season. I am looking forward to making the most of every opportunity,” Manohar, who is part of the Karnataka team in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, told The Hindu.

Despite modest IPL numbers, the reason for Manohar sparking interest may have also been his exploits for Shivamogga Lions in Karnataka’s Maharaja T20 Trophy in August. He scored 507 runs at a strike rate of 196.51, and topped the six-hitting chart with 52 maximums.

“I have been blessed with good hand-eye coordination and I have been able to hit sixes from a young age. I don’t take it for granted. In the off-season, I work on my six-hitting. That’s something that has brought me to where I am today and I can’t take it easy. Six-hitting comes more naturally to me than many others and I am very grateful for that,” he said.