Sunrisers Hyderabad took control of the game with bat and ball, as RR’s batting faltered following Jos Buttler’s exit while their bowlers struggled to contain Sunrisers Hyderabad’s powerful batsmen.
Ishan Kishan was the star performer for the hosts, smashing his way to an incredible century off 47 balls – with Travis Head also contributing well with an impactful 67 off 37 and Heinrich Klaasen making 50 not out.
In this article, we will discuss the main points of Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals Match Scorecard.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Playing XI:
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Travis Head | Batsman |
| Abhishek Sharma | All-rounder |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| Abdul Samad | Batsman |
| Pat Cummins (c) | All-rounder |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler |
| T Natarajan | Bowler |
| Umran Malik | Bowler |
| Mayank Markande | Bowler |
Rajasthan Royals (RR) Playing XI:
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batsman |
| Jos Buttler | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Sanju Samson (c) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Riyan Parag | All-rounder |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Shimron Hetmyer | Batsman |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | All-rounder |
| Trent Boult | Bowler |
| Avesh Khan | Bowler |
| Sandeep Sharma | Bowler |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Bowler |
SRH: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen
Pat Cummins was the standout acquisition at this year’s auction and his arrival at Sunrisers Hyderabad makes them formidable on any surface. Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy provide strong batsmanship while Abhishek Sharma provides support in their middle order. Add to that their superior bowling attack; and it’s easy to understand why SRH are overwhelming favourites in this game.
At the beginning of each season, it’s always crucial for teams to start strong against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to an ideal start against RR when Ishan Kishan and Travis Head led their side to an impressive total in just six overs during their powerplay innings against RR – scoring 94 runs off six overs – the fifth-highest total ever achieved in IPL history! Kishan kept hitting boundaries at every three balls while Head added 85 off just 38 deliveries together as both batmen reached close before Jofra Archer struck.
Head and Kishan continued their boundary-smashing spree as SRH appeared poised for an impressive total. Unfortunately, however, an unfortunate mistimed lofted shot off Jofra’s pads was caught at short third man to give the visitors hope of victory.
Kishan and Head were undaunted by this setback and continued their relentless attack against Royals’ bowlers, adding another 77 runs in just 20 overs to help SRH reach 264-3 in 17 overs. Jofra continued his nightmare return as he conceded 76 runs from four overs – the highest single cost-spell in IPL history!
Riyan Parag, in an effort to make history as youngest ever skipper for his Royals side and fifth youngest ever in IPL history when taking charge, hopes to make history when taking toss and captaining this match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday night. Without Sanju Samson due to an finger injury preventing him from playing early games of IPL season 14, it will require players like Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal stepping up performances significantly to compete with top teams on paper.
RR: Riyan Parag (c), Sanju Samson, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal
SRH’s top-order is packed with explosive hitters who look poised to rack up big scores at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Last season, they broke 250 three times; 287 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and 277 against Mumbai Indians being the two highest scores against them respectively. Abhishek Sharma’s form has also provided a tremendous boost for SRH; his 135-ball effort against England being one such example of this.
Riyan Parag will have his work cut out for him at his inaugural game as captain of RR and will need all the assistance he can get to take the franchise forward. Dhruv Jurel is set to help guide their success in their opening match of the season while Maheesh Theekshana and Shimron Hetmyer will both contribute significantly in batting department while Jofra Archer returns as an asset in bowling unit.
The Royals struggled at the backend of their innings in their inaugural fixture and will need to improve if they want to claim their first win of the year. Furthermore, inconsistent fielding proved costly against an opponent with home advantage.
Parag’s young squad features both veterans and up-and-comers looking to make an impression in IPL history. At just 23, Parag will become captain for his rookie season; veteran Pat Cummins will provide guidance. Other key figures in this young team will include Shubham Dubey and 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi who is set to make history by signing an IPL contract at 13!
Rajasthan Royals will hope that a number of new faces in their squad can help improve on last season’s dismal performance, after signing Jofra Archer for Rs 12.5 crore at a mega auction. Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal were retained from last season as key members, while Jofra Archer will bring fresh perspectives that they hope can compete for playoff spots in this new-look side.
Match Prediction
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium pitch in Hyderabad is known for providing ideal conditions for batsmen to flourish, with the Sunrisers hitting an average of over 13 sixes during four matches here last season averaging 13 sixes on average across their four matches played here. They should expect similar success today given Heinrich Klaasen, Abhishek Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer are part of their batting lineup.
The Sunrisers boast an effective bowling attack led by Pat Cummins and Mohammad Shami who possess the ability to pick up early wickets and derail any good run-chases against them.
Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen form one of the most potency opening partnerships in the tournament for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). However, they must ensure their middle and back innings don’t slip behind due to lack of balance; otherwise they risk falling further behind in matches against quality opposition.
SRH completed their league stage impressively and will look to finish in the top-three this year’s competition. Their opening match against RR will provide them with the perfect chance to build on their strong start.
The Royals, who appeared to be one of the strongest teams during 2024 before faltering and finishing third in Qualifier 2, will look to rebound this time around. Their batting order features many talents while captain Sanju Samson may come into his own due to a finger injury limiting him as an offensive force.
Riyan Parag will lead RR as they seek to recover after an unsuccessful season. He’ll be supported by Nitish Rana and Dhruv Jurel – with Jurel often serving as wicketkeeper as well. RR will rely heavily on Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana from Sri Lanka as their spin duo will play an essential role.
RR will hope that Jofra Archer can strike an early blow with the ball as they look to contain Sunrisers Hyderabad’s formidable batting lineup. Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, and Wanindu Hasaranga will need to bowl tight spells during death overs to keep runs at bay; Fazal Haq will play an essential fielding role; Jaidev Unadkat provides essential pace experience while Jaidev Unadkat provides much-needed experience at pace department. Royals have lost two previous meetings against Sunrisers this season; thus it would be wise for them to win this match as quickly as possible in order to take control of competition quickly.