Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have appointed former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron as their new bowling coach for the IPL 2026 season. Aaron replaces former New Zealand left-arm pacer James Franklin. The franchise announced the news on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “A fiery addition to our coaching staff! Welcome our new bowling coach, Varun Aaron!”
Varun Aaron represented India in 9 Tests and 9 ODIs between 2011 and 2015. His last competitive match was on January 5, against Goa in Jaipur, playing for Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Following Jharkhand’s failure to qualify for the knockouts, Aaron decided to retire from professional cricket.
The 35-year-old began his cricketing journey as a promising fast bowler known for his raw pace, clocking speeds of up to 150 km/h. His express pace quickly caught the attention of the national selectors. At that time, the selectors invested heavily in both Aaron and fellow emerging pacer Umesh Yadav. While Yadav went on to play over 50 Tests for India, Aaron’s career was frequently disrupted by injuries, which kept him out of the national setup.
After retirement, Aaron worked as a TV cricket analyst. Now, he embarks on a new chapter in his career as the bowling coach for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Aaron will work with Pat Cummins, who is known as one of the best bowlers in the world right now.