The Tata IPL 2023 is about to close its first stage, but the playoff positions are still vacant. With only 9 cricket matches remaining in the group stage, only the Gujarat Titans have qualified for the next round.
Only teams, like DC and SRH have lost their chances to proceed. With SRH set to play GT, RCB, and MI, the team can decide the fate of the opposition in IPL 2023. Currently standing in the 11th spot, the Sunrisers Hyderabad has been struggling throughout the season.
The team has only won 4 out of their 11 games, accumulating 8 points. With three games remaining for the team, a statistical possibility remains for their qualification. While it will most likely not occur, the team can still improve its standing before the league phase ends.
Led by Aiden Markram, SRH needs to swap its lineup to at least secure 14 points in IPL 2023. Doing so will improve their team morale while opening a statistical possibility of qualifying for the playoffs.
Why SRH has struggled during IPL 2023
The Sunrisers Hyderabad is among the few teams that have failed in both bowling and batting departments. Only 2 SRH batsmen have crossed 250 in IPL 2023, while only 1 bowler has gotten 10+ wickets for the team.
Comparing these numbers with the top players will show how ordinary the team has been. Faf, the current run leader, has scored over 631 runs in 12 matches. The top three run-scorers in SRH can barely equal Faf’s numbers in IPL 2023.
Rashid Khan is currently wearing the Purple Cap with 23 wickets in 12 matches. Even the top two bowlers from SRH, Markande (12 wickets) and Bhuvneshwar (9 wickets), fail to match the number.
Another major problem the team is facing is keeping players in the equation. SRH has tried 13 different bowlers in 11 games, with some players only appearing in 1 match. Even the fastest bowler in India, Umran Malik, has not played the entire 11 games for the team.
What has worked for the team, though, is its middle order. The team has drastically failed to get a good opening pair despite Harry Brook’s presence. The young phenomenon has dominated every competition he has been a part of, barring IPL. Brook has only scored 163 runs for SRH in 9 matches, despite scoring a century. Seeing how the team management spent 13.25 crores to acquire Brook, the investment did not pay off at all.
That is why SRH has relied on Tripathi (257) and Klaseen (262) to support their innings. However, even the duo has been subpar in their performances.
Another gaping hole in SRH’s batting has been the lackluster power hitting. Most IPL teams have multiple explosive batsmen to accelerate the inning. However, only Klaseen (180.69) and Abhishek (152.17) scored with a decent strike for the team.
The rest of the team is struggling around a strike rate of 125-130, which rarely works in T20 cricket.
What can SRH do for better results?
With the season almost over, the Sunrisers Hyderabad has nothing to lose anymore. Thus, the team can play their natural game and experiment with local talent.
There are two local stars among the top three batsmen for the team, Rahul Tripathi and Abhishek Sharma. SRH can allow the duo to play with confidence while adding Harry Brook back to the squad.
Despite an average IPL, the batsman kept his popularity among fantasy players on the best betting sites for cricket. It may be because Brook can destroy any bowling lineup, as shown in the century-producing inning. However, going for an explosive start can go wrong for the players, but letting them play their natural game is a worthy strategy.
Other than that, the team can give a chance to Adil Rashid, seeing how leg spinners have been dominating the competition. There are 4 leg spinners competing for the Purple Cap, with only 2 pacers in the mix. Moreover, SRH can use Umran Malik during the powerplay to get more wickets.
Shami for Gujarat Titans and Siraj for RCB are great examples of how teams are using pacers in early overs for wickets. Both quickies are in contention to win the Purple Cap despite the spinners’ domination.
Speaking of spin domination, Mumbai Indians showcased how relying on a veteran leg spinner can work wonders. The team gave Piyush Chawala a chance despite the player missing IPL 2022. The result? Chawla is competing for the Purple Cap with 19 wickets.
Can SRH afford to make these changes?
Over the years, SRH has achieved the reputation of being a bowling-centric squad. Thus, breaking the image to add more explosive power will be challenging for the team.
There is also a chance that going for more runs can cost players like Klaseen and Abhishek Sharma to lose their wickets early. Another issue with adding Brook to the lineup is snatching a spot from local talent.
As for trying new bowlers, the team has already failed the players by trusting them in early competition. Using veterans like Adil Rashid, who plays for England, after only using him for 2 cricket matches, will be tough.
In Conclusion
With the IPL league segment almost over, SRH finds itself in a position where it can end up at the bottom of the table. The team can avoid it by making a few changes to its lineup, while the management can also rely on local stars to take center stage. If they manage to achieve it, there is a statistical possibility of them qualifying for the playoffs. With only 4 wins in IPL 2023, the team must make the necessary changes to turn their fate. If given a chance, players like Harry Brook and Umran Malik must live up to their reputation for SRH.If the players do so, SRH might still repair their dignity and end IPL 2023 on a good note.
