IPL 2024: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today's SRH vs GT match
For half of the teams in IPL 2024, the focus is on securing a place in the top four or the top two because of the extra privileges that come with it. For the other half, it's about being a party spoiler and a king-maker for other teams' seasons.
Thursday's match between SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) is of those two halves. A washed-out game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became a reason for GT's elimination from the playoffs race. On the other hand, SRH wouldn't mind a washout as they are one point away from fixing their spot.
Below, we have picked three bowlers from the two teams who we believe could be the protagonists of playoff-spot-cementing or party-spoiling for their teams:
#3 Mohit Sharma
After a big, sudden lull in form, GT pacer Mohit Sharma roared back among the wickets against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a match-winning spell of 3/31, using his cutters and back-of-the-hand slower ones to wind up the batters.
But by now we know how good he is on those surfaces in Ahmedabad. Can he do it in Hyderabad, though? Well, he bowled at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium a few times in the past and took five wickets at a decent average of 26.20.
More importantly, he loves bowling against SRH. In the Ahmedabad fixture against them, he came on top by getting the wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Washington Sundar. He has taken at least one wicket against them in 10 of 13 matches, amounting to 21 in total at an average of 20.86.
One of the best batting sides at a flat home pitch doesn't shout of a Mohit Sharma big haul but the veteran has all the tools to pick up at least a few scalps.
#2 Pat Cummins
A team signing a new fast-bowling captain for a record free and him picking wickets for fun on the flattest of tracks doesn't happen often in the IPL. It is one of the reasons why Pat Cummins is slowly becoming a cult hero for SRH fans.
Cummings doesn't just take wickets. He bowls some of the most difficult overs and reels in the big fish. He has 14 wickets in 12 matches this year, seven coming in Hyderabad. In fact, he's yet to go wicketless in a home game in IPL 2024.
This is only the second time he'll be facing GT. But they are a team heavily reliant on openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharshan. Once SRH gets through them, Cummins can run through their middle and lower-middle order on Thursday.
#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
SRH veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar has elevated SRH's IPL 2024 with his return in form. After a start where he looked like he couldn't buy a wicket, Bhuvneshwar is coming off spells of 1/38, 3/41, 1/22, and 2/12 in the previous four matches.
The last of those is a four-over spell in Hyderabad against Lucknow Super Giants on a pitch where SRH chased down 166 within 10 overs. That shows that the right-arm quick isn't just picking wickets, he's dominating opponents with his skills.
GT have faced his wrath many a time already. In IPL 2023, in Ahmedabad, he took five wickets for 30 runs, consuming most of their top and middle order. Gill has gotten out to him multiple times and if there's a hint of swing, others will also struggle. Then, more wickets might follow at the death against GT's shaky lower order.