After four games in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 moves to Pune, the other end of the Expressway, where Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Rajasthan Royals in match 5 of the tournament.
Both sides bear a revamped look as they eye starting afresh, shrugging off the disappointments of the previous season where they finished in the bottom two.
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For SRH, IPL 2022 marks a new beginning. Since their debut in IPL 2013, this will be the first time since 2014 that they will be without David Warner. They have not been without Rashid Khan since 2017 either. However, the Orange Army has brought in reinforcements to replace the gaps.
From a top-heavy approach, SRH have now padded their middle-order with experience. With Rahul Tripathi and Abhishek Sharma set to open with more freedom, the middle order has the balance of calm and firepower in Kane Williamson, Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram, although they may choose to use Markram at the top as well.
Their bowling has variety. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a top-notch swing bowler, goes at 5.9 in the Powerplay in IPL. In T. Natarajan, they have a left-arm death bowler capable of darting-in yorkers. Umran Malik is probably the fastest bowler in the tournament, Kartik Tyagi is quick as well, and Marco Jansen can hit awkward lengths from that height and has the added advantage of being a left-hander.
Though the spin department looks fragile, there is the versatile expertise of Washington Sundar, someone capable of being effective in the Powerplay. In Markram and Abhishek, they have decent part-time options with spin. And if the pitch offers turn, they can draft in Shreyas Gopal.
IPL 2022 will be an emotional affair for the Royals. Shane Warne, who passed away earlier this month, had been omnipresent with the franchise since their inception. He was captain and coach when they won the first ever edition, in 2008; he was their brand ambassador until recently. One of the greatest to grace the sport, Warne was a constant for the Royals.
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Sanju Samson’s side looks more complete this season, with the main chunks of their batting and bowling sorted. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler set to open, Devdutt Padikkal – if picked – will have to bat at an unusual No. 3. It must be noted that Padikkal is more comfortable when batting inside the Powerplay. There is a chance of Samson batting ahead of him. If that is the case, Padikkal may have to bat down the order, which raises question marks over his role.
Shimron Hetmyer adds further depth to the batting. There is not much after Hetmyer, with Riyan Parag and one of the overseas all-rounders. They have options in James Neesham and Nathan Coulter-Nile. The lack of a part-time bowling option in their batting order makes Neesham’s four overs risky. However, considering Neesham’s batting prowess in the death overs, he might clinch the spot.
With their batting firepower at the top, their four main bowlers form the team’s backbone. Trent Boult and R. Ashwin are exceptional in the Powerplay; Prasidh Krishna has only grown in reputation in recent months; Yuzvendra Chahal is among the top wrist-spinners in world cricket; and if someone has to sit out, Navdeep Saini is a more than capable replacement.
Likely XIs
SRH: Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Kane Williamson (c), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Aiden Markram, Abdul Samad, Washington Sundar, Marco Jansen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T. Natarajan, Umran Malik
RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, James Neesham, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna
Fantasy tips
- Advisable to pick consistent top-order players like Buttler, Williamson and, if he plays, Padikkal.
- Wicketkeepers always help you with fielding and batting points. Pooran and Samson can turn games with the bat too.
- Wrist-spinners are usually good wicket-taking options. Chahal will be a good bet against the SRH right-handers.
Where to watch
Live streaming of match 5 of IPL 2022 between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will start at 7.30 PM IST on March 29. You can watch the match on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar.