Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to push themselves in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2023 season. With a change in the look of the side, SRH will aim to bring freshness. SRH parted ways with the loyal Kane Williamson and have named South Africa’s Aiden Markram as skipper. The Proteas all-format player has a crucial job on offer to extract the best out of a side that looks strong on paper. SRH made several interesting calls in the IPL 2023 auction. They did away with the misfiring Nicholas Pooran and roped in England’s Harry Brook instead for a whopping 13.25 crore. With Punjab Kings parting ways with Mayank Agarwal, SRH have snapped up the senior Indian cricketer. England’s Adil Rashid joins Washington Sundar in the spin department.
SRH finished 8th last season in the 10-team table, and the expectations will be big this time. Notably, SRH also finished bottom of the eight-team table in IPL 2021. Of late, they haven’t quite found the mojo. However, SRH made interesting calls in the auction and assembled a squad that could pose a challenge. However, a lot depends on Markram’s captaincy and how the big guns like Brook and Mayank come in and perform. Overall, the look of SRH is pleasing to the eye.
Ahead of the IPL 2023 season, we analyze the squad of SRH.
Full squad of Sunrisers
Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein, Anmolpreet Singh
What are the strengths?
SRH have a strong batting line-up this time around. Abhishek Sharma scored 400-plus runs in IPL 2022, opening the batting, and he is set to come out with Brook, who owns over 2400 runs in T20s and boasts an average of 80-plus in Tests. In Rahul Tripathi, SRH get a designated number three. Mayank and Markram are the fulcrums in the middle order. Their approach will be key in those middle-overs. Glenn Phillips must don the keeping role and be the finisher alongside Washington Sundar at seven. Looking at the bench in terms of batting, SRH have Heinrich Klaasen as the second-choice keeper. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abdul Samad are the other key options.
SRH have always boasted a fine bowling attack, and it’s no different this time. If they decide to go with six bowling options, then playing Adil Rashid makes sense alongside Sundar to lead the spin department. Markram can also roll his arms when required. On the bench, Mayank Markande is a decent option for SRH. The pace department looks strong, with Bhuvi, Umran Malik, and T Natarajan the key figures. They will form the base in this side. Marco Jansen and Akeal Hosein lend voices as foreign recruits. Jansen and Rashid can rotate, given the nature of the surface. Kartik Tyagi is the first-choice pacer from the bench, with several new faces.
SRH need to extract the best out of a presentable side, and the base has been created.
What are the weaknesses?
SRH lack a big finisher. They need either Phillips or Klaasen to don the role without a decent Indian keeper. Abdul Samad is an option but hasn’t done much to call for a place in the playing XI. SRH will require the frontline batters to bat for long periods and accelerate once set at the death. There will be a lot of pressure on Sundar, who could see himself at number 7 more than often. He has a strike rate of just 120.35 in the IPL. If SRH do lose early wickets, there could be problems in the backend of their batting at the death.
SRH also need their three Indian quicks to remain fit and consistent. It remains to be seen whether they can trust the bench regarding Indian pacers who lack the desired character. So we might see Jansen playing in place of Rashid and Markande being the second spinner. The rest of the names on the bench don’t appeal much, and therefore SRH need their main players to be available and ready.
Markram has never led SA in T20Is or, for that matter, in the IPL, which is a new challenge. SRH did have captaincy material in Bhuvneshwar, but they chose Markram.
Probable SRH XI
Abhishek Sharma, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram (c), Glenn Phillips (wk), Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Adil Rashid
Unique stats of SRH players
As per ESPNcricinfo, Bhuvi has an economy rate of below six in the powerplay overs. He has also claimed 54 scalps. Rahul Tripathi has been dismissed 24 times in the middle overs (7-15). Umran Malik is one of the two bowlers for SRH to take a fifer in the IPL.
IPL 2023 season Verdict
SRH have all the attributes to challenge for the top four. However, a lot will depend on Markram’s captaincy and how he understands the key moments. Batting and bowling look in good shape, and SRH can trouble teams. We feel SRH will finish in the top half of the table but just miss out on the playoffs.
April 2 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, Hyderabad (3:30 PM IST)
April 7 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
April 9 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)
April 14 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata (7:30 PM IST)
April 18 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)
April 21 – Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai (7:30 PM IST)
April 24 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)
April 29 – Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)
May 4 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)
May 7 – Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Jaipur (7:30 PM IST)
May 13 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants, Hyderabad (3:30 PM IST)
May 15 – Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ahmedabad (7:30 PM IST)
May 18 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)
May 21 – Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai (3:30 PM IST)