SRH vs RR Playing 11: SRH Predicted playing 11 vs RR | IPL 2019 as Steve Smith and David Warner face off in the IPL
It is being tipped as the David Warner vs Steve Smith match up, as the defamed Australian stars take on each other in the IPL for the first time after being suspended for the ball tampering incident.
Both players are not captaining their respective IPL sides in the tournament, but do have role to play with respect to leadership in the team, especially when it comes to crunch situations.
Now, both franchises are coming off close losses. While SRH lost out in a last over thriller against KKR at Eden Gardens, the RR batting unit imploded after the Ashwin mankad controversy to hand the win to the Kings XI Punjab.
Both teams would now be looking to get back to winning ways in Hyderabad on Friday. A few changes could be in line and let’s dive right into it.
In this article we will be delving into the SRH predicted playing 11 vs RR and how Kane Williamson’s availability could change the outlook of the team.
SRH Predicted playing 11 vs RR
Top Order
Kane Williamson should be back into the playing XI, as Tom Moody has hinted that he is fit enough to get back to captaining SRH in their first home game of the season.
Now, Kane Williamson’s availability poses a question to Tom Moody and the SRH think tank, as to who will be making way for their skipper. Jonny Bairstow seems to be the obvious casualty in this case, as he did not do a lot to really warrant a place in the side.
However, with Bairstow going out, SRH will be forced to make another change to their XI, as they’ll be needing a wicketkeeping replacement for him.
Wriddhiman Saha should slot into the wicketkeeper’s role, also slotting into the top 3.
This would most likely be what SRH would do, drafting Saha in to replace Bairstow. But if they want to stick to Bairstow, they could leave out Shakib Al Hasan too. We’ll discuss that in the lower middle order section.
Provided that Bairstow is dropped, the top order would look like; David Warner, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, else, David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson.
Middle Order
Vijay Shankar slotted into the number 4 role pretty admirably in the last game, scoring 40 odd in quick time to lead SRH’s charge to a strong 180+ score against KKR. Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan would take their respective places at 5 and 6; carrying a lot of firepower to explode towards the end of the innings.
The call that SRH need to take is with Shakib Al Hasan. He did not quite have the perfect game against his previous franchise, as he couldn’t contain Gill and Russell in the final over of the game. If SRH decide to do away with him and persist with Bairstow, Abhishek Sharma could come into replace Shakib Al Hasan(to keep in check the overseas player constraint).
Abhishek Sharma impressed for India in the U-19 world cup and is a like for like replacement for Shakib, as he is a left-arm all-rounder, who can use the long handle during the end of the innings.
Bowlers
Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would lead the SRH bowling unit, as they have done so admirably in the last few seasons. For the remaining two bowling slots, Siddharth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and Khaleel Ahmed will be trying to strike their claims.
Siddharth Kaul should take his rightful place in the XI, on the back off good domestic and international performances. He also bowled decently well in the last game, so should be picked ahead of both Sandeep and Khaleel. For the final bowling slot, it is going to be a straight shootout between Sandeep and Khaleel.
Sandeep did not quite have a good outing in the first game, going for 42 runs off his 4 overs and taking just the 1 wicket. Khaleel’s left arm angle could come in handy against a RR line up that predominantly has right-handers in their top 7(except Stokes).
SRH playing XI: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow/Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Vijay Shankar, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan/Abhishek Sharma, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed.
