IPL 2019: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) preview, likely starting XI: Can SRH keep their Playoffs streak intact?

During their brief tenure – they have been around for only six seasons – Sunrisers Hyderabad have made it to the Playoffs four times including the last three seasons (they are one of two sides to achieve the latter). This includes winning the trophy in 2016 and finishing runners-up in 2018, the latter despite the absence of David Warner, their captain and most successful batsman.

Warner will be back this time, though it is very likely that Kane Williamson will lead SRH. However, Williamson had picked up an injury during the Test series against Bangladesh, which means that he may not start the tournament. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, vice-captain in 2018, may lead SRH in that case, though Warner leading the side may make things interesting.

SRH had traded Shikhar Dhawan in exchange of Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem, and Abhishek Sharma before the season. While Dhawan has been phenomenal for them, the trade with Delhi seems a calculated one. Their other acquisitions include Martin Guptill, Jonny Bairstow, and Wriddhiman Saha.

SRH’s performance this season will largely depend on how their bowlers – a couple of them handy with bat – perform. The attack is likely to consist of Rashid Khan and four Indian seamers.

Players to watch

David Warner: This is going to be Warner’s first major full tournament since the Cape Town fiasco last year, and he will try to give it his all. Success here will also mean a World Cup berth for him, more so given the poor form of Aaron Finch at the top of the Australian ODI XI.

Rashid Khan: Rashid has been sitting at the top of the ICC T20I bowling ranking. He has been outstanding in almost every country he has played T20 cricket in. He took 21 wickets in IPL 2018 and went for 6.73 an over – in addition to playing a whirlwind cameo against KKR in Eliminator 2. He is likely to be SRH’s MVP.

Kane Williamson: As batsman and captain you can do little better than Williamson. He won the Orange Cap in 2018 with a 51-run lead over anyone else; he averaged 52.50 and struck at 142; and he led SRH to the final despite Warner’s absence.

Likely XI: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Kane Williamson (if fit, otherwise Martin Guptill), Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Yusuf Pathan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul.

Prediction

Given their outstanding bowling attack and the presence of both Warner and Williamson, Sunrisers should definitely qualify for the Playoffs, if not the final.

Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Shreevats Goswami (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Khaleel Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Ricky Bhui, Martin Guptill, Deepak Hooda, Siddharth Kaul, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Nabi, Shahbaz Nadeem, T Natarajan, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Billy Stanlake, Basil Thampi, David Warner.