Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) formidable power-hitters, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, are set to face a daunting challenge against Rajasthan Royals (RR) bowlers, especially against their adept spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin, in the second qualifier of IPL 2024 this Friday.
Nicknamed 'Travishek' by their fans, Head and Sharma have elevated power-hitting to unprecedented heights this season. Head boasts an impressive 533 runs at a strike rate of 199.62, while Sharma has accumulated 470 runs at 207.04. Together, they have smashed 72 sixes and 96 boundaries, solidifying their reputation as fearsome hitters. Adding to SRH’s batting strength is Heinrich Klaasen, who has scored 413 runs at a strike rate of 180, with 34 sixes to his name.
However, the Chepauk pitch presents a unique challenge compared to other venues like Uppal, Kotla, or Wankhede. Known for its sticky nature, the Chepauk strip makes it difficult for stroke-makers to hit through the line. Ashwin, who is intimately familiar with this ground, has shown marked improvement as the tournament has progressed. Partnered with Chahal, India’s premier leg-spinner, the Royals will be aiming to neutralize SRH's key hitters early on.
In SRH’s bowling department, the spotlight will once again be on T Natarajan, the team's leading wicket-taker this season. Playing on his home turf, Natarajan will be eager to leverage the conditions to his advantage. Meanwhile, experienced bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pat Cummins face significant pressure, especially Kumar, who has gone wicket-less in his last two matches.
SRH's main weakness lies in their spin attack. Mayank Markande has been underwhelming, and Shahbaz Ahmed also does not pose a significant threat as a left-arm orthodox spinner. Maybe the Surnisers will find a place for the out-of-favour Washington Sundar in this contest.
For the Royals, the recent end of their 5-game winless streak, thanks to an all-round performance against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has been a morale booster. The top-order batting, particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, has shown promise. Jaiswal will be looking to maintain his form ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Americas next month. Skipper Sanju Samson, however, needs to step up, as he has failed to score beyond 20 runs in the last three games.
In the middle order, Dhruv Jurel will be under scrutiny, having struggled to reach double figures in his previous two innings. The Royals will also rely on their Caribbean stars, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, to deliver the kind of power-hitting they exhibited against RCB. Additionally, Riyan Parag, who has been in fine form this season, remains a crucial asset for the team.
Team News
Shahbaz Ahmed and Mayank Markande have both been ineffective as spinners for SRH and Pat Cummins' team could bring in Washington Sundar, who will get to play at his home ground if given the opportunity.
The Royals, meanwhile, are unlikely to tinker with the team that ended their losing streak.
Head-to-head record
The two teams have faced each other 19 times in the past, with little to choose between the two in terms of the head-to-head record. Sunrisers have won 10 of these contests while the Royals have won 9. The last time these two sides met earlier this season, Pat Cummins' men edged out RR by a solitary run.
Weather report
The weather in Chennai will once again test the players, with temperatures expected to be in the 32-35°C range, with warnings of excessive heat being issues in the region already. There's a 10% chance of rain but we should still get a full contest.
Probable XIs
SRH Probable XI; Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Washington Sundar, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, T Natarajan
RR Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson (wk/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal (Impact sub: Shimron Hetmyer)
Full squads
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Sanvir Singh, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Agarwal, Aiden Markram, Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Markande, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Nandre Burger, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen, Shubham Dubey, Keshav Maharaj, Donovan Ferreira, Navdeep Saini, Shimron Hetmyer, Tanush Kotian, Abid Mushtaq, Kunal Singh Rathore
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(With PTI inputs)
