SRH to play RR in their first game [iplt20.com]
Another cracking double header day awaits us as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) kick-start their IPL campaign against last year's finalists, Rajasthan Royals.
Two teams who are evenly matched on paper and this would certainly be a cracker of a contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Team Preview
Sunrisers Hyderabad
The 2016 IPL champions had the biggest purse going into the IPL auction in December last year and they made a strong team in return. Having added the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Harry Brook, and Adil Rashid, the team looks extremely strong on paper.
Aiden Markram was announced as their skipper, but due to national duties, Markram will miss the first game. Instead, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead the side in his absence. A star-studded batting lineup, all eyes will be on England's Harry Brook. Bought for INR 13.25 crore, expectations are high from the latest sensation in the cricketing world.
The only chinks in their armour is the absence of a quality off-spinner. Yes, they do have Wshington Sundar in their ranks, but the Indian spinner picked up just 6 wickets last season, and has been dealing with injuries.
Expect Abhishek Sharma and Mayank Agarwal to open for the Orange Army as they kick-start their IPL campaign.
Rajasthan Royals
The team had a season to remember last year, having almost touched the coveted IPL trophy. However, they fell short of their target. Heading into the IPL auction, their biggest weakness was a quality all-rounder at number 7. And they bought the services of Jason Holder for INR 5.75 crore.
A quality bating lineup led by last season's Orange cap winner in Jos Buttler, Rajasthan Royals have all the bases covered heading into their first game.
The only cause of worry is the absence of a quality Indian pacer. Prasidh Krishna was ruled out due to injury and his presence will be a big miss for the franchise.
Can RR go the distance this time around? We'll find out soon.
Match Details
Date and Time: April 2, 3:30 PM IST
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Live Streaming/Telecast: Jio Cinema and Star Sports Network
Pitch Report
A paradise for the batters, the ball comes onto the bat nicely. Average first innings score is 157, and the team bowling first have won 58% of the games. The wicket will get better as the game progresses.
Predicted XI
SRH: Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Harry Brook, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips (wk), Washington Sundar, Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar ©, Adil Rashid, Umran Malik, T Natarajan
RR: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Jason Holder, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen
Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson
Batters: Harry Brook, Shimron Hetmyer, Rahul Tripathi
All-rounders: Riyan Parag, Jason Holder, Washington Sundar
Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik
Captain: Sanju Samson
Vice-captain: Harry Brook
Prediction
A tough one to predict. Both the teams are strong on paper, but since Rajasthan have their core squad settled and already have a chemistry between them. Moreover, SRH will miss their captain for this fixture. So, expect RR to come out on top in this fixture.
 "Anurag Dasgupta")
