IPL 2024, RR vs SRH Qualifier 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s top order in focus against upbeat Rajasthan Royals in Chennai

Royals braved sickness and a slump in form, where they lost four games on the bounce, to extinguish Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s rally to a maiden trophy in the Eliminator.

Such has been Sunrisers’ reliance on their opening salvo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head that a rare misfire against KKR left its middle-order playing catch up. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS FOR IPL

Spurred on by the proverbial ‘law of averages’ turning in its favour, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will eye a second final in three years when it takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the second qualifier of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

Royals braved sickness and a slump in form, where they lost four games on the bounce, to extinguish Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s rally to a maiden trophy in the Eliminator.

Sunrisers, on the other hand, would want to move on from their deflating reverse to Kolkata Knight Riders in the first qualifier.

Such has been Sunrisers’ reliance on their opening salvo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head that a rare misfire against KKR left its middle-order playing catch up.

Royals will hope Trent Boult can emulate how Arshdeep Singh and Mitchell Starc rearranged Head’s stumps in Sunrisers’ last two games. Head strikes at over 192 against left-arm quicks but has been susceptible too, falling four times in 11 innings in the IPL.

Trent Boult of Rajasthan Royals in action during the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL

R. Ashwin has claimed four left-handers this season and could be a tempting roll of the dice in the PowerPlay. Sanju Samson, however, might want to continue using him through the middle overs in a containing role, given his economy of 8.31 in IPL 2024.

A silver lining for SRH from the loss to KKR was Rahul Tripathi finding form. Tripathi, who was mostly restricted to the bench this season, struck a 35-ball 55 in the first qualifier and will be a handy reinforcement for Heinrich Klaasen through the middle.

Klaasen will again have a telling impact, especially against RR’s top wicket-taker this year, Yuzvendra Chahal. The South African has scored 108 runs off 46 deliveries against the leg-spinner across seven T20s.

The tweakers in the opposite camp will be under the scanner too. The slow nature of the Chepauk strip would be welcomed by a spin line-up that averages 54 in this IPL, the worst among the 10 teams.

SRH has used as many as 11 spinners in IPL 2024 for a meagre dividend of 13 wickets, the least by any team.

Mayank Markande, who last featured against RCB almost a month ago, has an economy rate of under seven against right-handed batters in IPL and could replace Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. Aiden Markram’s part-time off-spin, with his batting, could be a better use of the overseas slot.

For RR, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell contributing in the lower middle order in the Eliminator augurs well for a batting unit that has otherwise turned to Samson and Riyan Parag for answers.

Powell, in particular, will have a score to settle after his error off a full toss handed a one-run win to SRH in their last contest.

RR could also do with Yashasvi Jaiswal putting a price on his wicket. The left-hander has been guilty of heedlessly giving his wicket away, his dismissal against Cameron Green in the last match being a case in point.