IPL 2021: Strength and weakness of each team ahead of UAE leg

4. Sunrisers Hyderabad

Strength- Comeback of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan

In the first leg of IPL 2021, the SRH franchise had to face an ordeal especially when their main players had either got injured or were found struggling with their form. In between, the injuries to their two key pacers (Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan) had also further rattled the overall balance of their side.

However, now with the above Indian duo being fully fit and ready, at least in the bowling department, the franchise will be expected to showcase some extraordinary performances. Now practically with bowling also being SRH’s core strength, the franchise surely needs a soaring run from its bowlers perhaps to give themselves a best of chance for playoff qualification.

Since they need to win all their remaining games, the bowlers have to produce some lofty performances that can also comfortably get in sync with SRH comprised batting lineup. Hence, there’s a lot relying on the likes of Rashid Khan, Bhuvi and T Natarajan from now on.

Weakness- Lack of a solid overseas batter in the middle-order

So far in the IPL 2021, the SRH team’s main shortcoming has been its dreadful batting lineup. The malfunction of David Warner had immensely brought in turmoil in the overall batting order as often the middle-order was found underwhelming to finish even modest of run chases. Especially, in the latter stages of their run chases, the batting order did potentially miss an overseas batter who could have fetched one or two wins through his big-hitting display. 

Even with the mediocre performances by the senior lower-order batters like Vijay Shankar, the middle-order was found in doldrums during the first leg of the IPL 2021. However, if the Aussie all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is allowed to join back, then potentially his availability can become a fruitful solution for the SRH management.