IPL 2020: Strongest probable playing XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have always been one of the prime contenders for the title ever since they joined the IPL bandwagon in 2013. With David Warner back at the helm, they would be hoping to replicate their performance from 2016 and win their second IPL title at the 2020 Indian Premier League.
SRH have been one of the more consistent teams in the IPL, having failed to reach the playoffs only twice (2014 and 2015) in the last seven seasons of the cash-rich league.
Although they lost Shakib Al Hasan due to his two-year ban imposed by the ICC, they have managed to string together a decent squad that should mount a strong challenge for the title.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad for IPL 2020: David Warner (C), Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Mitchell Marsh, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, T Natarajan, Basil Thampi, Billy Stanlake, Rashid Khan, Fabian Allen, Abhishek Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sanjay Yadav, Bavanaka Sandeep
The squad seems to have all the bases covered in both the batting and bowling departments, with sufficient backups and no apparent weak links.
Let us have a look at the best probable playing XI that can be put on the park by SRH.
#1 Openers (David Warner, Jonny Bairstow)
This is an absolute no-brainer that the Sunrisers will be going ahead with the combo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow to open their batting. The pair had set the 2019 IPL alight with their breathtaking assault on the opposition bowlers and they would be hoping to continue in the same vein this year as well. Although Bairstow may not be in the greatest of forms, his T20 credentials cannot be denied and the pair has the potential to change the course of the match in a matter of a few overs.
SRH have an excellent backup option in the form of Kane Williamson in case of any injuries or lack of form.
#2 Middle-Order (Manish Pandey, Virat Singh, Abdul Samad)
The middle-order could be a slight area of concern for SRH due to its relative lack of experience. Manish Pandey would play a pivotal role in the Hyderabad outfit's middle-order. He has been in good form recently and his performance in this year's IPL could go a long way in cementing his place in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup later in the year.
Pandey would have to mentor the young, but talented, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad and build a strong partnership with them. Singh has been in terrific form for Jharkhand for the last couple of years while Samad has proved to be the lynchpin of the Jammu and Kashmir team.
If either of two youngsters fails to deliver, the SRH management could opt for the experienced Wriddhiman Saha or India Under-19 captain Priyam Garg. They also have the option of playing Williamson in the middle-order instead of a foreign all-rounder.
#3 All-rounders (Mitchell Marsh, Vijay Shankar)
The Sunrisers have two batting all-rounders in the form of Mitchell Marsh and Vijay Shankar. Marsh will be the ideal batsman at No. 6 with his power-hitting abilities and, on his day, he can be a game-changer with the ball as well. He was in excellent form in the Big Bash League and proved his worth in the recent Australia-South Africa series as well.
Shankar, on the other hand, would be desperate to showcase his abilities to the Indian selectors after having fallen behind Shivam Dube in the pecking order as the backup for Hardik Pandya. He will be eager to prove his credentials with both the bat and the ball.
SRH can also opt for the seasoned Mohammad Nabi as the all-round option instead of Marsh on spinner friendly tracks.
#4 Bowlers (Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Siddharth Kaul)
The bowling attack is the biggest strength of the Hyderabad-based team. They have inarguably the world's best leg-spinner, Rashid Khan, who is a seasoned campaigner now despite his young age. He is a very useful lower-order batsman who can strike a few lusty blows.
The wily Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be leading the SRH pace attack. Having come back from his injury layoff, he would want to prove his fitness to the Indian selectors with a good showing for the Sunrisers.
Khaleel Ahmed and Siddharth Kaul would hope to be the perfect foil for Bhuvi. With both of them no longer in the Indian selectors' scheme of things, they would consider this as an opportunity to prove their worth and get back in the mix.
The Sunrisers have sufficient pace bowling backups in the form of Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, and Basil Thampi. They could also opt for the reliable Shahbaz Nadeem on spinner friendly pitches.