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HomeIndian Premier LeagueIPL 4th Match Preview: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals

IPL 4th Match Preview: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals

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Last Updated on 7 years by Charbel Coorey

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IPL 2018 is off to an amazing start, with three amazing performances leading to victories on the opening two days of the tournament. So what does the 4th match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals have in store for us? Both sides have lost the dynamic Australian duo – Steve Smith for Rajasthan Royals, and David Warner for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but both sides still contain plenty of quality.

Finishing in a respectable third last season, Sunrisers Hyderabad certainly have what it takes (on paper at least) to make a strong impact in this year’s tournament. Their bowling attack, comprising of Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shakib Al Hasan, can be counted on to deliver at least ten overs of real quality, and if they can get the support they crave from the remaining bowlers, they can start their tournament off on the right note. Their batting also has what it takes to perform off the back of good bowling performances.

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RAAAASHID! Key player, for sure.

For Rajasthan Royals, can they match Chennai’s stunning return to the IPL? They sure spent big in the IPL Auction, picking up the likes of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Jaydev Unadkat for large sums, but for me, there is a little uncertainty about their chances in this match. Ben Stokes is nursing a back injury and Jaydev Unadkat will be under pressure to justify his price tag. However, their batting line up packs a punch, and if they can fire against SH’s decent bowling attack, it will give them confidence for the rest of the tournament.

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What impact will Ben Stokes have?

Key to a Sunrisers Hyderabad win

SH possess a bowling attack that I think other IPL teams would be jealous of…. RCB, anyone?
The performances of Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, as well as Shakib Al Hasan, is key to SRH’s chances. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a proven performer – leading IPL wicket taker in 2017, and has the wood over opposition skipper Ajinkya Rahane in IPL matches. Rashid Khan was recently the quickest ever to 100 ODI wickets (44 matches), and Shakib Al Hasan has been one of the premier all-rounders for a decade. 
However, these three performing well is not enough. Siddharth Kaul may be asked to shoulder a load with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the death, as he holds a respectable economy rate of 8.3 in 10.4 overs, including 11 wickets.

Key to a Rajasthan Royals win

What can the top six achieve?
There is plenty of excitement about SH’s attack, but RR need to believe their top six can either set them up for or chase a score. Ajinkya Rahane (SR of 118.54 in T20s) needs to execute his stroke making game perfectly, to enable the others to go large. Rahul Tripathi (SR 131.61), Sanju Samson (123.22), Heinreich Klaasen (146.28), Ben Stokes (138.12) and Jos Buttler (142.80) all have what it takes to turn the game in RR’s favour.

Will it be their day?

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Be sure to read my very passionate article on this issue…

Predicted teams:

For SH, Kane Williamson takes over the captaincy from the suspended David Warner. Alex Hales, Warner’s replacement, will likely open the batting with the in-form Shikhar Dhawan. Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda and Wriddhiman Saha should make up the middle order.
Sunrisers Hyderabad XI: 1. Alex Hales, 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Manish Pandey, 5. Shakib Al Hasan, 6. Deepak Hooda, 7. Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Siddarth Kaul, 11. Sandeep Sharma
For RR, the top six as mentioned have a key role to play. Jofra Archer, Dhawal Kulkarni and Jaydev Unadkat should take up the bowling spots, with an additional place potentially taken by either Ankit Sharma or Krishnappa Gowtham.
Rajasthan Royals XI: 1. Ajinkya Rahane (c), 2. Rahul Tripathi, 3. Sanju Samson (wk), 4. Heinrich Klaasen, 5. Ben Stokes, 6. Jos Buttler, 7. Stuart Binny, 8. Ankit Sharma/Krishnappa Gowtham, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Dhawal Kulkarni, 11. Jaydev Unadkat

Stats and Facts:

  • Key battle: Bhuvneshwar Kumar v Ajinkya Rahane. Bhuvi has had the wood over Rahane in IPL cricket, dismissing him six times. In the 75 balls he’s bowled to him, only 69 runs have been scored.
  • Alex Hales, David Warner’s replacement, has a strike rate of 143.54 in T20s.
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar has won the Purple Cap the last two IPL seasons.
  • Kane Williamson will become SH’s youngest captain – 27 years, 244 days, and has a good record against the Royals current bowling roster (73 runs in 38 balls, with only one wicket lost).
  • Head-to-Head: Matches: 7, Sunrisers Hyderabad: 3, Rajasthan Royals: 4

Prediction:

Another interesting game to look forward to as the IPL begins to heat up. After three amazing match winning performances from three different batsmen, the floor is open for another amazing performance. Looking at the two sides, a great performance is perhaps more likely to come from the SH squad, who look quite balanced. At home, I will pick them for a win, and make Rajasthan Royals wait for a win on their comeback.
Charbel Coorey
Charbel Cooreyhttps://cricblog.net
Charbel is the owner & founder of cricblog.net, based in Sydney, Australia. He started the website to fulfill his love for the game of cricket. Charbel has been featured on other publications including OP India, Times of India, and The Roar, among others. He is also a keen fantasy sports player. Charbel has also had the privilege of interviewing cricketers on the CricBlog TV YouTube channel, including James Neesham, Rassie van der Dussen, Andrew Tye, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat and Saurabh Netravalkar: https://www.youtube.com/@cricblogtv For any story tips or questions, you can contact Charbel at charbelcoorey@cricblog.net.

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