IPL 10, Match 24, SRH v RPS: Sunrisers Hyderabad Predicted XI

After a slight derailment from a solid start to their title defence, the Sunrisers Hyderabad seem to be back to winning ways. A couple of tidy last overs from Siddarth Kaul meant the defending champions are tied for the no.2 spot in the points table with Kolkata Knight Riders at 8 points.

Positives for the Sunrisers Hyderabad came in plenty following their last victory against the Delhi Daredevils. Most importantly for the Sunrisers, and for Team India as well, Shikhar Dhawan struck a well-made 70. Gabbar was once again delightful to watch as he peppered the field with 7 boundaries.

But perhaps the masterstroke for the Sunrisers Hyderabad was the inclusion of Kane Williamson in their playing XI. The Kiwi batsman raced to a 51-ball 89 as he smashed bowlers all around the park. His 136-run stand with Shikhar Dhawan powered the Sunrisers to 191.

In the bowling attack, they found a fresh and promising talent in Mohammad Siraj, who removed both aggressive Delhi openers. Given the responsibility to bowl the final over of the match, Siddarth Kaul kept his nerve on two occasions.

Things seem hunky dory for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. They will go into the game against the Rising Pune Supergiant with momentum on their side. As the Sunrisers Hyderabad take the field on a hot Saturday afternoon at the MCA stadium, they will look to extend their winning streak with another victory in the bag against the Rising Pune Supergiant.

Here’s a look at CricTracker’s predicted XI for the Sunrisers Hyderabad as they take on the Rising Pune Supergiant:

Openers (David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan)

The Sunrisers Hyderabad openers have looked consistent over the last 6 games. Warner has looked dangerous at the top, but his responsibility is what has kept him amongst the runs. The Australian has two unbeaten 70+ scores in the 6 games he’s played, along with a couple of good starts.

When Warner was dismissed cheaply, the other left-hander Shikhar Dhawan guided the team. Dhawan will be mighty pleased with his previous knock. Another couple of solid performances will keep him in contention for a spot in India’s Champions Trophy squad.

These two batsmen have batted with positive intent upfront. Barring Imran Tahir, the Rising Pune Supergiant bowlers have looked a bit wayward, which the SRH openers should exploit. Both Warner and Dhawan will look to score quickly in Powerplay against a blunt RPS bowling attack.

Top order (Kane Williamson, Yuvraj Singh)

Kane Williamson’s temperament exhibits a sense of calm and composure at the crease. The New Zealander was thus thought of as a perfect Test batsman, which he has been, and how. However, people thought limited overs cricket, especially the shortest format of the game, wasn’t his cup of tea.

Kane Williamson’s blistering knock came as a slap in their faces. The little man dispatched any bowler that ran up to him. He struck 5 huge sixes that sent the Hyderabad crowd into a frenzy. Williamson comes as an added weapon for the Sunrisers who can rev up his strike rate within a matter of overs.

The other top order batsman for SRH needs no introduction. Yuvraj Singh is perhaps the cleanest strikers of the ball when on song. Following his 62 in the IPL curtain raiser this year, Yuvraj has failed to score an impactful innings. Nevertheless, Yuvraj is a certain threat to any opposition and he will look to live up to his tag against RPS.

Middle order (Moises Henriques, Naman Ojha, Deepak Hooda)

With Kane Williamson at no.3, Moises Henriques now finds himself at no.5 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. To follow, there are two big hitters who can score those flurry of boundaries towards the end of the innings.

Henriques has already registered two fifties in this season of the IPL so far. He will look to make the upcoming game count and make a sizable contribution with the bat once again. The Australian all-rounder is also handy with his medium pace bowling.

Both Naman Ojha and Deepak Hooda have shown their ability to strike the ball while with the Rajasthan Royals. Ojha has a highest IPL score of 94 not out, while Hooda’s T20 strike rate is above 140. These are a batsman who can easily add valuable runs at the back end of the innings.

Bowlers (Rashid Khan, Mohammad Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul)

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have a fantastic combination of youth and talent in their bowling line-up. To start, Rashid Khan has troubled some of the best batsmen in world cricket on the IPL stage. His deceptive googlies have constantly kept him in business. For the very first time, Rashid went wicketless in the IPL in the previous match. However, the Afghan will have his eyes on the stumps and look to rattle the RPS top order.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has proved that T20 cricket isn’t all about big sixes and thick bats. Bowlers do have a role to play, and Bhuvi has been the flag-bearer in the bowling department so far. With 15 scalps already, Kumar remains head and shoulders above the rest of the bowlers in this season of the IPL so far. His composure at the death and his ability to bowl yorkers at will have been exemplary.

Under his umbrella, the Sunrisers have fostered two talented pacers. Both Siddarth Kaul and Mohammad Siraj have impressed one and all in their debut games for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. SRH have discovered a fine death overs bowler in Kaul, who made sure he didn’t leak runs in the final over of the match. Siraj, on the other hand, was quick and on target, as he sent Samson and Billings packing against the Daredevils.

Given the way Rashid and Bhuvi are playing, and also taking into account Siraj’s and Kaul’s contributions, the Sunrisers Hyderabad surely possess one of the best bowling line-ups in the IPL.