Where they ended up in 2019: Fourth. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab each had 12 points at the end of the group stage, but a higher net run rate led the Sunrisers to the Eliminator, where they lost to the Delhi Capitals.
Potential XI: David warner (capt), Jonny bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha (week), Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Abdul Samad, Mohammad nabi, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed
Wadding: As always, the Sunrisers’ hitting will revolve around David Warner, who has surpassed 500 runs in every season he has played for the franchise. Warner will open the innings with Jonny Bairstow; Both were exceptional as a starting pair last year, their average position averaging 79 in just eight overs.
However, the intermediate order seems once again a bit shaky. In the absence of a proven anchor, Manish Pandey may have to hit No. 4 instead of No. 3, with Vijay Shankar placing him behind him. For the No. 3 spot, the Sunrisers can start with Wriddhiman Saha. His other options are Priyam Garg, who captained India at the 2020 U19 World Cup, and Virat Singh, who scored 343 runs to 57.16 with a 142.32 hit rate in the last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Kane Williamson can also replace Bairstow, with Saha opening the innings in that case.
Abdul Samad and Fabian Allen are on the side as finishers. Then there’s Mohammad Nabi, who had a fantastic CPL on both the bat and the ball. With Warner and Rashid Khan filling two overseas spots, the Sunrisers will have to cut Bairstow out if they want Allen and Nabi to enter their XI.
Bowling: Rashid is arguably the best T20 bowler in the world. Even though teams have started playing all four of their overs lately, he is still an option to take wickets. His compatriot Nabi will have a bigger role to play this year given the slow nature of the UAE’s fields. If a third roulette wheel is required, the Sunrisers can turn to Shahbaz Nadeem.
Still, a lot will depend on how Bhuvneshwar Kumar does. Kumar was the leader in ground takers for the Sunrisers for four years in a row, from 2014 to 2017. However, he has struggled with injuries the last two years and last played a representative game in December 2019. His form in the tournament could be the difference between a top four result and a title win.
In the supporting cast, the Sunrisers have a left-arm closer in Khaleel Ahmed, a swing bowler in Sandeep Sharma and a bowler in Siddarth Kaul. They also have the option of playing tall Australian pacemaker Billy Stanlake in place of one of the foreign players.
Young player to consider: The center of attention will be on the 18-year-old. Abdul Samad. In India’s final domestic season, the Jammu & Kashmir hitter was the most prolific six-hitter in all formats (61 sixes). Additionally, he hit six out of 13, the best rate among those with a minimum of 25 sixes. In March, just before India locked down, Samad worked with Milap Mewada and Irfan Pathan to further fine-tune his game and add punches like the uppercut to his repertoire. Apart from Samad, there are Priyam garg, which has a more complete game, although you have to see how many games it gets.
Coaching staff: Trevor Bayliss (head coach), Brad Haddin (assistant coach), Muttiah Muralitharan (bowling coach), Biju George (field coach), VVS Laxman (mentor)
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