After reaching the playoffs in five straight seasons between 2016 and 2020, Hyderabad have missed out on the final stages of the tournament in the last two campaigns. The eighth-place finish in 2022 prompted something of an overhaul, with Kane Williamson released and Aiden Markram appointed captain.
But Markram won’t be around as Sunrisers start their season. He, along with Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen, his South African teammates, will join up with the squad only next week after completing their international commitments. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a stalwart of Hyderabad’s teams for a decade, will lead in Markram’s absence, but their options will be severely reduced.
Rajasthan Royals have the opposite problem, one of plenty. Runners-up to Gujarat Titans last year, Rajasthan have strengthened their squad with the additions of Joe Root, Adam Zampa and Jason Holder. None of the three is guaranteed game time though, with Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult having played a big part in the Royals’ surge to second in 2022.
Buttler had smashed 863 runs at a strike-rate of 149 on his way to the Orange cap last season, while Yuzvendra Chahal had won the bowling plaudits and Purple cap with his 27 wickets at an economy rate of 7.75. The rest of the Indian contingent is equally impressive. Chahal and R Ashwin perhaps the most accomplished spin duo in the league. There’s also Sanju Samson, who will hope that he has another season that convinces the Indian selectors to include him in their World Cup plans.
Hyderabad shouldn’t be taken lightly though. In Harry Brook, they have acquired one of the most exciting young batters in world cricket, while Adil Rashid has been central to England’s dominance of the white-ball formats. Their pace trio of Bhuvneshwar, Umran Malik and T Natarajan can be especially dangerous in helpful conditions, and they can call on experienced Indian batters like Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tripathi. A fully fit Washington Sundar is also an invaluable asset, and Hyderabad will be aiming much higher than last season’s dismal finish.
Venue and Time
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. 3.30 PM IST.
Toss and expected conditions
Traditionally, this stadium has been one of those rare venues in India where pace bowlers have considerably better averages and strike-rates than their spin-bowling counterparts. The average first innings score has been less than 160, but with the temperature soaring past 36C by the time the game starts, the quicker bowlers could be in for a hard slog.
Head-to-Head
This rivalry is dead even, with eight wins apiece. However, Sunrisers have won each of the three matches played in Hyderabad.
Possible XIs and Impact Player Watch
Hyderabad’s options are fairly limited with their South African trio missing till at least the next game. Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi is one if they bowl second. As for Rajasthan, if they start with only three foreign players, then Joe Root, Adam Zampa and Jason Holder all come into the equation. If they have to choose an Indian, they could well go for the pace of Navdeep Saini.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Glenn Philips (wk), Abdul Samad, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (C), Adil Radhid, T Natarajan, Umran Malik.
Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (C, WK), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen.