IPL 2018, Qualifier 2, KKR vs SRH: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) predicted XI against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
After suffering defeat at the hands of Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier, Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad will now travel east to take on Kolkata Knight Riders who brushed aside the challenge of Rajasthan Royals.
After starting the season with a bang, SRH are now in a rut after losing their last four matches and they need to tweak few things to arrest this decline.
They might bring in few changes to the side and we take a look at their team lineup.
Alex Hales: For all the reputation of being a big hitter, the England opener has not set the IPL on fire and has lost his place to Carlos Brathwaite.
However, the English opener might well make a comeback since SRH need impetus at the top of the order to give the side a rapid start and take some pressure off.
Shikhar Dhawan: Dhawan has been the lynchpin of SRH batting order the entire season, but he was dismissed off the first ball against Chennai Super Kings. He now needs to step up and perform if SRH want to make a fist of things against KKR at their homeground.
Kane Williamson: The captain has been peeling off runs for fun this season, but he now needs support from the other batsmen if he needs his side to put up a decent score.
Kane Williamson has been the fulcrum around which the entire batting has functioned and even as he drops anchor, he has the ability to play his strokes at will.
Manish Pandey: Another big-ticket signing who has not lived up to his potential, Manish Pandey has been struggling to get going this season, but his presence adds more stability to the middle order.
He starts slowly, but then gets out when the strokes need to be played which has hampered the progress of SRH.
Shakib Al Hasan: The Bangladesh captain adds a lot of balance to the SRH set-up as he contributes to the team's cause with both bat and ball. He has hardly put a foot wrong this season and with experience and temperament on his side, he will once again be the crucial man for Kane Williamson, both with the bat and ball.
Yusuf Pathan: Pathan has played few sparkling innings, but has not been consistent and now when the tournament is heading towards the clutch stages, he needs to stand up and be noticed.
Sreevats Goswami: He opened the innings in the previous match and gave a great account of himself, and can be used as a floater in the batting lineup. Also, he has been solid behind the stumps which is an added bonus for Williamson.
Rashid Khan: Perhaps the biggest match-winner in SRH, Rashid Khan will enjoy the surface in Kolkata and has to take the game by the scruff of the neck and pick up wickets to control the tide for SRH. He has the ability to contain an explosive KKR batting order.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has to deliver with the new ball up front when the surface provides some seam movement which might well be the case in Kolkata. Also, he has to bring in his experience towards the death and restrict KKR's explosive batting order.
Sandeep Sharma: Sandeep will take the new ball and Kane would hope he picks up early wickets to expose the middle order of KKR. Also, he might be called upon to take wickets in the middle overs which is the way to control the run flow in T20s.
Siddarth Kaul: Kaul has been consistent for SRH, but he has fallen off the radar in the recent past. He has to now step up and pick up wickets and keep a tab on runs, as he is a big part of their death overs plans.
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