A resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad take on highly confident Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 36th match of this season's IPL at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. With both teams on a winning streak, victory in this match is significant to keep one's momentum going.
Team analysis of Sunrisers Hyderabad
Strengths: In the batting department, the team has been riding on the successes of Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram. Both of these batters possess contrasting characteristics, with Tripathi being able to start hitting from the get-go.
In the bowling department, which is led by experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they seem to have finally found their mojo. Everyone has a well-defined role, from Bhuvneshwar and Marco Jansen at the start, T Natarajan in the middle and death, and Umran Malik with his raw pace, threatening the batters. The team looks confident, at ease, and ready to win.
Weaknesses: They may be riding on the success of Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram but they need to realise their middle order is inexperienced and lacks game time. The need to put in a reassuring batter who is tried and tested.
Kane Williamson needs to bat at number 3 or 4 and promote either Rahul or Markram to the opening.
Team analysis of Royal Challengers Bangalore
Strengths: An experienced middle-order amalgamated with the exuberance of Shahbaz Ahmed and Suyash Prabhudessai—this is what defines RCB batting this year. For every experienced player, they have got a youngster preceding them. This applies true from Shahbaz, who has been consistently performing well for the team be it with the bat, bowl, or in the field, to Dinesh Karthik, who has made his name as a finisher.
The bowling is well covered across different phases. The addition of Josh Hazlewood has taken RCB's line-up p a notch, with Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, and Mohammed Siraj already in the mix of things. The bowling unit looks calm and composed.
Weaknesses: Anuj Rawat and Virat Kohli's batting form is a cause of concern for the team. Both of them have shown their brilliance in patches, but not consistently. The two being in the top 3 batting positions is a source of uncertainty for the team.
Impact player for RCB:
Josh Hazlewood: An old-school fast bowler who relies on his lines, lengths, and pinpoint accuracy to beat the batters and is equally good in the powerplay over and at the end.
Impact player for SRH:
Aiden Markram: He starts slow but then catches up to his slow start by scoring at a strike rate of more than 200 once he's set. He's a middle-order batter, a finisher, and a handy bowler.
Head-to-head: 20
SRH won: 11
RCB won: 9
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