Former Indian pacer Varun Aaron has been named the new bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, marking his return to the Indian Premier League in a new role. The franchise made the announcement on Monday via social media, calling Aaron “a fiery addition” to their coaching setup as they prepare for the 19th season of the tournament.
The 35-year-old, who officially retired from professional cricket earlier this year, replaces former New Zealand pacer James Franklin, who held the role last season after succeeding Dale Steyn. Aaron will now be tasked with mentoring and fine-tuning SRH’s bowling unit, as the 2016 champions look to rebuild under a refreshed coaching setup.
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A familiar name in IPL circles, Varun Aaron featured for several franchises over his career including Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Gujarat Titans. His last IPL appearance was with Gujarat Titans in 2022, where he played two matches and picked up two wickets. He was part of GT’s title-winning squad that season. Across 52 IPL matches, Aaron claimed 44 wickets at an average of 33.66.
Aaron burst onto the scene as a genuine fast bowler at a time when India lacked express pace. He gained national attention by clocking 153 kph in the 2010-11 Vijay Hazare Trophy final and was soon named to the India Emerging Players squad for a tour of Australia. Though selected for the ODI series in England in 2011, he didn’t feature in a match, but soon made his international debut in October that year.
His international career was limited, featuring in nine Tests and nine ODIs. He took 18 wickets in Tests at an average of 52.61 and 11 in ODIs at 38.09. While injuries and the rise of a younger pace generation curtailed his run with India, he remained active in domestic cricket until recently.
Aaron’s final competitive outing came in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he played for Jharkhand against Goa and returned with figures of 2 for 29 in six overs, helping his side to a 31-run win.
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