With the 13th season of the Indian Premier League just around the corner, all the teams are seen practicing day in and day out to put their best foot forward in the all-important IPL and clinch the trophy. With the league moving out of India this time due to the coronavirus pandemic, all the players will have a different experience playing on different pitches and, most importantly, without crowds as the risk for the spread of coronavirus is still high.
Out of all the teams playing, let us now talk about Sunrisers Hyderabad, crowned champions of the IPL in the year 2016. Although that was the year of Virat Kohli in terms of batting, the Sunrisers Hyderabad managed to outplayed the Royal Challengers from Bangalore to win the trophy. Their captain, David Warner, scored over 800 runs in that season and was the only batsman close to the caliber of Virat Kohli. In order to replicate that sort of performance once again, let us have a look at five key players from the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2020, which is set to begin from September 19.
1. David Warner
The Australian southpaw is a one-man army when he’s on a song. He makes excellent bowling lineups look ordinary and has done the same to the rest of the seven teams in the IPL before. Arguably one of the best international players in the league ever, David Warner, has scored over 4700 runs in the IPL, including 4 centuries and 44 half-centuries. He will play a vital role in the sunrisers on top of the order and also as the captain. He is also a gun fielder and has saved many runs. Thus he will play a crucial role in the success of the Hyderabad franchise doing well in the tournament. A lot will depend on his form.
2. Rashid Khan
The Afghan maestro has been an asset for the sunrisers ever since he joined the Hyderabad set-up. Contributions from all the aspects of the game have made Rashid khan so special and essential for whichever team he plays. When it comes to the IPL, there are several occasions when he single-handedly ran through brilliant batting lineups with his spin. He has also scored some crucial runs lower down the order for the team when they fell short. His big-hitting abilities and bowling economically at vital stages of the game has made him so special. Thus he will have to perform well to make sure the Sunrisers have a good season this year.
3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The king of swing, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, leads the pack of bowlers for Hyderabad in the IPL. He has been the spearhead of the bowling lineup and has also bowled exceptionally well for them, both in the power-play and the death-overs. He is also considered as the death-over specialist as he keeps his line and strength exceptionally tight. He has won the purple cap on two occasions, showing how important he has been for Hyderabad. He has also captained the team on a few occasions in the absence of David Warner and Kane Williamson and has proven to be good. Making a comeback to the sport after a long time, a lot will depend on Bhuvi as he will not only look to do well for Hyderabad but also will look to regain his spot in the Indian team.
4. Mohammad Nabi
The second half of the Afghan-duo, Mohammad Nabi, is a veteran of the game and has been a crucial part of the sunrisers Hyderabad circuit. Equally effective with the bat and ball, he has played some blinders lower down to take the team to a respectable total. He has also been great with the ball by picking wickets at regular intervals. At present, he is playing the CPL for St. Lucia Zouks and has also picked a 5-wicket haul. He has also seen hitting the ball sweetly, which are great signs for the Hyderabad franchise. He, alongside Rashid, has been performing exceptionally well as they bring in breakthroughs at the right time and also score crucial runs for the team in the death overs. The sunrisers will look to play them both in every game not only because of their skill but also due to their experience in playing T20 cricket all over the world.
5. Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey has been proven as a successful pick for the sunrisers in the IPL as he performed well for the last year. Previously playing for KKR, SRH picked Manish as he would be a rock-solid batsman for them in the middle-order and hold the ship together in times of trouble. He had already shown his capabilities as a finisher as he almost won the game against Mumbai Indians last year with the bat with a last-ball six. He also an exceptional fielder and can save crucial runs for the team at any given position. Averaging 47 for India in the T20Is, Manish will have a great season in the middle with the bat, which can also cement his place in the Indian team.
