Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are set to face a formidable challenge as they host the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a crucial Indian Premier League match this Thursday. With the Royals almost securing a playoff spot, the stakes are particularly high for the Sunrisers, who are striving to get their campaign back on track after a couple of disappointing losses.
Recently, SRH has seen a dip in their performance, sliding out of the top four in the points table following consecutive defeats to Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings. These setbacks have been primarily due to their inability to chase down totals effectively, a concern that has been acknowledged by both head coach Daniel Vettori and captain Pat Cummins. Despite having breached the 250-run mark three times this season, these successes were only when batting first. In stark contrast, SRH have struggled to chase any total over 200.
"We have been successful setting totals and now we have to look at how well we are in chasing," Vettori commented post the loss to RCB. Cummins also noted the need for improvement, stating, "We're pretty well-suited to chasing, but it hasn't really come off yet. So yeah, it is something (we need) to work on."
A key issue for the Sunrisers is their over-reliance on openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma for brisk starts. While this strategy works well when the duo fires, their failures expose the middle order, which has been unable to rebuild effectively. Notably, Aiden Markram has had a particularly lacklustre season and is under pressure to justify his selection in the playing XI.
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On the other side, Rajasthan Royals have been in stellar form, comfortably leading the IPL standings with 16 points, four ahead of their closest competitors, Kolkata Knight Riders. The Royals' success this season is largely attributable to their robust batting lineup, with Sanju Samson leading from the front, with 4 fifties in 9 innings.
Moreover, the Royals' batting depth is further bolstered by the West Indian duo of Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, along with promising talents like Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel. Their bowling attack, spearheaded by Yuzvendra Chahal and supported by Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, and Sandeep Sharma, has been equally impressive, maintaining pressure on their opponents throughout the season.
As SRH looks to address their chasing woes and regain form, they face a tough opponent in RR, who are looking to cement their top spot and advance confidently into the playoffs.
Team News
Aiden Markram has scored 199 runs in 9 matches this season, with just 1 fifty to his name. The Sunrisers might get tempted to play Glenn Phillips in his stead.
In all likelihood, Rajasthan Royals won't many any changes to their winning combination.
Head-to-head record
There's nothing to choose between the two sides when it comes to the head-to-head record. Both teams have played each other 18 times, with 9 wins apiece.
Weather Report
It will be a sweltering evening in Hyderabad with temperatures nearing 35-40°C. The maximum temperature for the day is expected to touch 42°C. No chance of rain or respite from the heat for the players.
Probable XIs
SRH Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Glenn Phillips, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Nitish Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan
RR Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (wk/c), Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal (Impact sub: Riyan Parag)
Full squads
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Nitish Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan, Travis Head, Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Upendra Yadav, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Sanvir Singh, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (wk/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Keshav Maharaj, Shubham Dubey, Navdeep Saini, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Kuldeep Sen, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Donovan Ferreira, Abid Mushtaq, Kunal Singh Rathore
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(With PTI inputs)