IPL 2019 PREVIEW: Can Sunrisers Hyderabad go one better?

Jonny Bairstow's new side have a potent batting line-up and two proven matchwinners with the ball in Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan, so can they repeat their 2016 success?

Captain: Kane Williamson

Coach: Tom Moody

Overseas players: Jonny Bairstow, Martin Guptill, Billy Stanlake, Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan, David Warner, Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan

Titles: 1 (2016)

2018 Performance: Runners up

Best-ever performance: 2016 title winners

In: Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jonny Bairstow, Martin Guptill

Out: Shikhar Dhawan, Sachin Baby, Tanmay Agarwal, Chris Jordan, Carlos Brathwaite, Alex Hales, Bipul Sharma, Mehdi Hasan

Star Player: Rashid Khan (T20 Player Index: 3rd)

Biggest Loss: Chris Jordan

Something to prove: Mohammad Nabi

^{Sunrisers Hyderabad won the IPL in 2016}

Form

The Sunrisers have had a good few years in the tournament recently after lifting the trophy in 2016 and finishing runners up in last year’s final, despite getting an eight-wicket thrashing from Chennai Super Kings.

Some strong overseas signings will set them in good stead this year as they kick off their competition with an away trip to Kolkata – a team they beat in last year’s playoffs.

Strengths

The Sunrisers have a good variety in their bowling attack – one of the contributing factors as to why the side were runners up last year.

The searing pace and bounce of Billy Stanlake, the mystery deliveries in Rashid Khan’s arsenal and the nagging consistency and movement of Bhuvneshwar Kumar ought to make it a challenge to post big totals against Hyderabad.

There’s strength at the tip of the batting order too which will help get them off to a good start. 

IPL SQUADS

Weaknesses

Whilst they may be strong batting wise at the start of the innings, there is definitely some fragility when the middle-order batsmen arrive at the crease.

Shakib Al Hasan can help stitch the innings together during the later overs, but they are desperately missing a big-hitting finisher that has become so paramount to winning games in the tournament.

There is a distinct lack of experience down the order but this may give the uncapped players the stage.

Rashid Khan is a major weapon for Sunrisers

Squad: Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Ricky Bhui, David Warner, Martin Guptill, Deepak Hooda, Mohammad Nabi, Yusuf Pathan, Rashid Khan, Shakib Al Hasan, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Shreevats Goswami, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Basil Thampi, Billy Stanlake, Thangarasu Natarajan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem

Prediction: Champions

Initial fixtures: March 24 - Kolkata Knight Riders (a); March 29 - Rajasthan Royals (h); March 31 - Royal Challengers Bangalore (h); April 4 - Delhi Capitals (a)

IPL FIXTURES