IPL 2021: 1 change SRH should make to win against MI
2016 IPL champions Sunrisers Hyderabad will face 5-time winners Mumbai Indians at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Both teams have had two contrasting starts to the IPL 2021 season, with SRH languishing at the bottom of the points table.
Mumbai Indians started their campaign on a losing note against RCB but compensated for it with a narrow 10-run victory against KKR. After being put in to bat first, MI managed to score a modest total of 152. Despite KKR getting off to a flying start, Rahul Chahar's 4/27 played a crucial role in MI's surprise win.
On the other hand, SRH have suffered two humiliating defeats after falling short on both occasions. SRH's middle-order has remained a cause for concern with none of the batsmen taking the responsibility of driving the team over the line.
Though Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma and Vijay Shankar have started IPL 2021 poorly, they are expected to be given another opportunity to prove their worth.
On that note, we take a look at one big change that could earn SRH a win against MI in Match 9 of IPL 2021 on April 17.
#1 Abhishek Sharma in for SRH keeper Wriddhiman Saha
36-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha has got off to a poor start with the bat and has failed to make an impact. He has thrown his wicket away cheaply on both occasions in IPL 2021 and, as a result, has put the middle-order under early pressure.
Saha has looked completely out of sorts due to a lack of competitive cricket in recent times and it has taken a huge toll on his batting. He has scored just 8 runs from 2 matches at a poor strike-rate of 53.33.
Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, is a big-hitter and has the ability to change the match completely within the span of a couple of overs. He has played several cameos in the past and he could start striking right from the first ball. He is also a valuable spinner and could chip in with the ball during the middle stages of the game.
With Bairstow in the form of his life, SRH could promote the England international as an opener and also play him as their wicket-keeper, which would pave the way for Abhishek Sharma to enter SRH's line-up.