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Bowl first, restrict the opposition to a below par score and then chase it down. This was the template for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s first three wins in the tournament but it all went haywire in the last game against the Kings XI Punjab as they crashed to a big defeat at Mohali. They have the best bowling attack in the tournament and would like to come back to winning ways in today’s game at home.
However, they will come up against a Chennai Super Kings team who are high on confidence following their decimation of the Rajasthan Royals the other day. The game promises to be an engrossing battle and the ultimate result of the game would depend on the individual battles between the players. Here is a look at 5 of the most important personnel battles.
#5 Shakib al Hasan v Sam Billings
The Bangladeshi all-round star may have gone for big runs in the last game against Kings XI Punjab but he remains a vital member of the SRH bowling machine that throttled opponents in the first three games. Tonight his duel against Englishman Sam Billings during the middle overs of the innings is going to be absolutely crucial if SRH wish to restrict CSK to a reasonable score.
Shakib has taken 5 wickets so far in the tournament and has recorded an excellent economy rate of 7.57 in 4 games.
However, in Billings, he will come up against a batsman who is not only an excellent player of spin bowling but someone who is also prepared to go after the spinners from the start and therein lies the tantalising prospect of an epic duel. He is striking at almost 179 so far and his destruction of the Kolkata Knight Riders attack two games ago is ample proof of his prowess against spinners.
#4 Rashid Khan v MS Dhoni
Following MS Dhoni’s epic innings in the game against Kings XI Punjab, he came in at number 4 in the last game against Rajasthan Royals and while he did not score a lot of runs, it augurs well for CSK that they would have an excellent player of spin to counter the threat posed by Rashid Khan.
The Afghan leg-spinner, who has a T20 career economy rate of 5.88 was destroyed by Chris Gayle in the previous game and went for 55 runs in his 4 overs. Khan, who is regarded as one of the best spinners in the world would like to get back to his best today. However, in MS Dhoni he will come up against another player who is an excellent player of spin.
Dhoni will come in at number 4 and he will most probably have a duel with Rashid Khan straightaway. It promises to be an absorbing battle between the ageing master and the young spin king.
#3 Billy Stanlake v Suresh Raina
Suresh Raine is one of best batsmen in IPL history but he has not been able to score big in any of the games yet and tonight’s game against the best bowling attack in the tournament would be the perfect stage for him to get back to his best. The left-hander, who has scored only 64 runs in 3 games so far comes in at number 3, a crucial batting position for any T20 side and his performance would go a long way in deciding how CSK’s innings pans out.
However, he would have to fight the demons of his troubles against fast short-pitched bowling when he comes up against SRH’s Billy Stanlake. The 6 ft 8 in giant from Australia is one of the most awkward bowlers to face for most batsmen He has taken 5 wickets so far in 3 games. His duel with the Indian left-hander is going to be one of the key battles of this game, without a doubt.
#2 Shikhar Dhawan v Shardul Thakur
The Indian opener has been one of the best batsmen in the tournament so far and has been responsible for the fast starts that SRH have enjoyed this season. Shikhar Dhawan has recorded an average of 65 and a strike rate of 139.78 and remains the most important batsman in the SRH batting arsenal.
If CSK can get him early then that would break the back of the SRH batting effort and the responsibility for that would rest on Dhawan’s India team-mate, Shardul Thakur.
The right arm medium fast bowler did well in the last game against Rajasthan Royals and picked up 3 for 18 in three overs.
However, Thakur has often wilted under pressure and CSK simply cannot afford that sort of a meltdown today. If he can keep Dhawan quiet or picks up his wicket early, then the match could decisively swing towards CSK.
#1 Bhuvnehwar Kumar v Shane Watson
The Australian all-rounder maybe 36 years old but he remains one of the most dangerous top order batsmen in the IPL and in his previous game against RR, Shane Watson effectively killed off the game with his brutal century. He has been in excellent batting touch throughout the tournament (averaging 43.75) but that was his first big score and going into today’s game against SRH, he would have to go head to head against one of the world’s finest bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Kumar is an outstanding bowler who can keep most batsmen quiet. In addition to that, his steady pace, movement, relentless accuracy and intelligence make him a bowler who is always in with a chance of taking wickets. Today he will come up against a batsman who is in excellent form and their opening duel in the Powerplay could swing the match either way.
He has taken 5 wickets so far and has recorded an outstanding economy rate of only 6.75. This is going to be a match-defining battle and whoever comes out on top will probably end up on the winning side.
