3 player battles to watch out for in RR vs SRH, Match 52 of IPL 2023
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will battle it out against each other at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur in the upcoming match number 52 of IPL 2023 on Sunday, May 7.
RR suffered an embarrassing nine-wicket loss against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their previous encounter. The side were bowled out for a paltry score of 118.
Sanju Samson and Co. will be aiming to get back to winning ways after losing their last two fixtures. With five victories and as many defeats from 10 outings, they are currently placed fourth in the points table.
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) were handed a five-run loss by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their earlier contest. Hyderabad looked to be cruising at one stage while chasing a 172-run target.
However, the side choked at the end, failing to score nine runs off the final over. The Aiden Markram-led side have won just three out of their nine games so far and are placed in the bottom spot of the standings.
It's a battle between Rajasthan and Hyderabad in the Pink city, can SRH take revenge for the first round. 🏏
#RRvSRH #IPL2023 #Cricket https://t.co/69dml8nc7F
This will be the second time that these two teams will lock horns this season. Rajasthan completed a comprehensive 72-run win over Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium last month,
With two crucial points at stake, the forthcoming affair promises to be an entertaining one for the fans. Here we look at three match-ups that could have a major impact in the upcoming RR vs SRH game:
#3 Yuzvendra Chahal vs Mayank Agarwal
RR leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has significantly contributed to the success of his team with his impressive performances in the competition. He finished as the Purple Cap winner last year, picking up 27 wickets.
He has bagged 13 scalps from 10 games so far and has an economy rate of 8.17. Chahal's contest against SRH opener Mayank Agarwal is expected to be a closely fought battle.
Agarwal has failed to perform consistently in IPL 2023, and his form will be crucial for SRH in their upcoming encounter. He has hit 72 runs from 45 balls against Chahal, which includes five sixes and six fours.
However, it is worth mentioning that Chahal has dismissed the opening batter on six occasions in the league's history.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Yashasvi Jaiswal has showcased tremendous form in this year's cash-rich league. The left-handed batter has provided his team with a flying start on several occasions with his positive intent at the top.
The southpaw dazzled the onlookers with a fabulous 124-run knock against Mumbai Indians (MI). Jaiswal was run out in the subsequent fixture and will be eager to come up with yet another spectacular performance.
It won't be easy for the youngster on this occasion, given that he will be up against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a seasoned seamer. While he has claimed just eight scalps from nine games, he has a good economy rate of 7.96.
It remains to be seen if Jaiswal's attacking approach will benefit him when facing someone like Kumar.
#1 Sanju Samson vs Mayank Markande
RR skipper Sanju Samson kicked off the competition on an impressive note. However, he did come under the scanner for his form after a string of failures.
Samson will want to get a big knock under his belt at this juncture. The wicketkeeper-batter has amassed 242 runs at an average of 24.20.
SRH's top bet against the batter could very well be in-form Mayank Markande. The leg spinner is currently the leading wicket-taker for his team, picking up 11 wickets from his seven appearances.
Samson has looked to up the ante once the spin bowlers come into the attack, but it has also led to his downfall at times. He has scored 612 runs from 474 balls at a strike rate of 129.11 against leg spinners in the league. He has got out to them 20 times so far.