Large image – Will upgrades translate into on-field outcomes?
Each groups start a brand new season with squads that look vastly improved, on paper.
How will these upgrades translate into on-field efficiency? We’ll see very quickly, beginning Sunday on the Rajiv Gandhi Worldwide Stadium.
Group information – Bhuvneshwar to guide SRH
Toss and Impression Participant technique – Decisions galore
Sunrisers HyderabadProbable bat-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Glenn Phillips (wk), 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (capt), 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan
Sunrisers may choose simply three abroad gamers of their first XI in the event that they bat first, and herald a fourth – both the quick bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi or the legspinner Adil Rashid – relying on situations.
Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Harry Brook, 4 Glenn Phillips (wk), 5 Abdul Samad, 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Akeal Hosein, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (capt), 9 Adil Rashid/Fazalhaq Farooqi, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan
In Jason Holder, Rajasthan Royals have a real seam-bowling allrounder this time•AFP/Getty Pictures
Rajasthan RoyalsProbable bat-first XI: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Akash Vasisht, 8 Jason Holder, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
The hard-hitting left-hand batter Akash Vasisht, who additionally bowls a little bit of left-arm spin, may begin for Royals in the event that they bat first, giving them additional batting depth alongside the West Indies allrounder Jason Holder. On the change of innings, both Yashasvi Jaiswal or Devdutt Padikkal may make means for a quick bowler – Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini and Sandeep are doable choices.
Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Akash Vasisht, 7 Jason Holder, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Navdeep Saini/Kuldeep Sen/Sandeep Sharma, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
In a bowl-first state of affairs, Padikkal may are available in because the Impression Participant when Royals start their chase.
Stats that matter – Hosein vs left-handers
Sunrisers might be glad to have Hosein and Rashid of their squad, as a result of that they had a critical spin problem final season. Their spin wickets tally of 15 was the bottom of any crew in IPL 2022. Royals topped that listing with 40.
Demise bowling was one among Royals’ main points final season. Holder may assist them kind it out – of all bowlers with no less than ten wickets within the final 4 overs within the IPL for the reason that begin of 2020, he has the second-best common (12.19) whereas conceding an affordable 9.54 per over.
Holder wants one wicket to succeed in the 200 mark in T20 cricket.
Pitch and situations – Tempo is ace
For the reason that begin of 2018, quick bowlers have a collective common of 25.17 and an economic system fee of 8.07 in IPL matches on the Rajiv Gandhi Worldwide Stadium. They have not completed higher on both rely at any Indian venue that is hosted no less than 20 IPL video games on this time. So far as spinners’ performances go, nevertheless, the bottom sits in the midst of the pack. Count on tempo, due to this fact, to play a big position on Sunday.
Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo