Yuvraj set to return for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Friday, May 6, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

A six-day break since their last match has left Sunrisers Hyderabad in the bottom half of the IPL 2016 points table. They will look to move back up when they host Gujarat Lions, a team they had thrashed earlier in the season.

Sunrisers have plenty of muscle at the top, with David Warner scoring 386 runs in seven matches at an average and strike rate of 77.20 and 168.55, but the middle order seemed thin. Kane Williamson's fifty after recovering from a hamstring injury should help in that regard. Sunrisers will like some of the Indian batsmen to increase their productivity. Maybe Yuvraj Singh can help with that. An ankle injury had kept him out for over a month, but he batted and bowled fluently in the nets in Hyderabad and is set to make his debut for the franchise.

Dwayne Bravo had been under an injury cloud as well - he missed Lions' previous game against Delhi Daredevils - but was quite active at training and is expected to slot back in the XI.

Lions coach Brad Hodge had been concerned about his batsmen's Powerplay failures a couple of days ago. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mustafizur Rahman will want to take advantage of that. The two Sunrisers fast bowlers have taken 18 wickets, swinging the ball, slowing it down and nailing the yorkers.

Dinesh Karthik, meanwhile, has sensibly built or rebuilt the innings from the middle order with 215 runs at an average and strike rate of 35.83 and 127.21. That Jadeja struck his first 30-plus score after 27 IPL innings should boost Lions.

Sunrisers Hyderabad WLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Gujarat Lions LLWWW

An inclination to play the ball as late as possible makes Williamson adept against pace or spin. He accumulates runs in risk-free fashion and it was on display during his first IPL half-century, against Royal Challengers. His presence at No. 3 will take some pressure off Warner and Shikhar Dhawan.

Praveen Kumar has taken only two wickets in nine matches, but has been a vital to Lions' plans at the start and end of every bowling innings. His yorkers denied a rampaging Chris Morris on Sunday and it is with his assistance that Dhawal Kulkarni is the team's second-highest wicket-taker, with seven in seven matches.

Yuvraj is set to make his debut for Sunrisers, perhaps in place of Deepak Hooda, who has five single-digit scores in six attempts. Sunrisers may also consider bringing in left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma or legspinner Karn Sharma for seam-bowling allrounder Ashish Reddy.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable): 1 David Warner(capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Yuvraj Singh/Deepak Hooda, 5 Naman Ojha(wk), 6 Moises Henriques, 7 Ashish Reddy/Bipul Sharma/Karn Sharma, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Barinder Sran 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Ashish Nehra

If Bravo is fit, he is likely to replace either Dwayne Smith or Aaron Finch. Ishan Kishan, who has looked uncertain whether his role in the side is to attack or defend, may make way for Akshdeep Nath.

Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Suresh Raina(capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik(wk), 5 Ishan Kishan/Akshdeep Nath, 6 Ravindra Jadeja ,7 Dwayne Bravo/Dwayne Smith, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Dhawal Kulkarni, 11 Shivil Kaushik

Four of five games at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium have been won by the chasing side this season. Pre-monsoon rains have given Hyderabad relief from the scorching heat, and showers have been forecast for Friday evening too.

"Yuvraj adds a lot to our side because it is not only his ability with the bat and being a left-hander which is going to add to our strengths; it is also about what he can do with the ball."
Sunrisers coach Tom Moody on why Yuvraj would be an invaluable addition to the side

"It is important not to start changing things up just because things have not gone your way for two games."
Lions' wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik is not in favour of knee-jerk reactions