Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has announced that he will not return as the bowling coach for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Despite stepping down from his role in the IPL, Steyn confirmed that he will remain involved in coaching, continuing his work with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league.
In a post on X, Steyn expressed his gratitude to the Hyderabad franchise, saying, "A big thank you to Sunrisers Hyderabad for my time as bowling coach at the IPL. Unfortunately, I won’t be coming back for IPL 2025, but I’ll keep working with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league in South Africa."
Earlier this year, Steyn had opted out of IPL 2024 for personal reasons, leading Sunrisers to appoint former New Zealand cricketer James Franklin as the team’s new bowling coach, working alongside head coach Daniel Vettori.
During his IPL career, Steyn played for teams like Deccan Chargers (now defunct), Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Lions (also defunct). His last appearance as a player in the IPL was in 2020 with RCB, before transitioning to Sunrisers' bowling coach in 2022. He played a key role in the development of young pacers like Umran Malik during his coaching stint.
Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the IPL 2024 final but fell short against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). It marked their first finals appearance since 2018. With their recent success under the Vettori-Franklin coaching duo, Sunrisers might consider retaining their current staff for the next season.