Rejuvenated Sunrisers target Daredevils

Saturday, May 9, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Ten games into the season, Sunrisers Hyderabad may just have found the solution to their batting issues. That involved playing neither Dale Steyn nor Trent Boult for the first time this IPL, against Rajasthan Royals, and having a top five of Shikhar Dhawan plus two overseas batsmen and two overseas allrounders. It gave them their first 200-plus total of IPL 2015, at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

As they move to Raipur to face Delhi Daredevils, it has to be seen if they will keep both their star fast bowlers on the bench again. Even if they do that, they still have the luxury of fielding an all-international attack, with the two Kumars and the two Sharmas plus Ravi Bopara and Moises Henriques.

Sunrisers are right in the mix with ten points and four matches in hand, but the same cannot be said about their opponents. Daredevils were outhit and outspun at Eden Gardens by Kolkata Knight Riders, and the defeat has nearly ended their playoff chances. They have only three more matches to go, of which two will be at their "home" ground in the Chhattisgarh capital.

Delhi Daredevils LLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad WLWWL

Ten innings, 203 runs at a strike-rate of 121. These are pretty average numbers even for a young domestic Indian batsman, forget someone of the stature of Yuvraj Singh. To add to that, the costliest man in the IPL auction has been missing sitters in the field. Each game he plays, the television commentators remind us of how destructive he can be when he gets going. Barring the odd innings, people are still waiting for that to happen.

Eoin Morgan carries a considerable reputation but his 63 against Royals was only his third half-century in 31 IPL innings. That he has faced more than 30 deliveries in an IPL innings only thrice is also a factor, but given his capabilities, it is fair to argue he has underachieved with a tournament strike-rate of 125. Against Royals, he provided the finish Sunrisers have so often lacked after solid starts from the openers, and his team will want more with a playoff spot at stake.

"It's been great opening with Davy. It has been comfortable. We both are really good in running between the wickets. Our combination suits both of us and our team. It is good to have two aggressive players batting together - that puts immense pressure on the opposition."
Shikhar Dhawan on his opening partnership with David Warner