Struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on red-hot Rajasthan Royals in match 21 of 2026 Indian Premier League at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.
SRH have managed just one win from their four matches so far this season, with that solitary victory coming against Kolkata Knight Riders, a side currently enduring a poor run of form. The Ishan Kishan-led side have been comprehensively beaten by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings.
There is little clarity on when regular skipper Pat Cummins is likely to take charge of the side. Despite poor results, the team can take heart from the fact that the batting is looking in good shape. In three of the four matches, the team has posted scores of over 200.
Middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen has amassed 184 runs and hit two half-centuries in four outings. Opener Abhishek Sharma, stand-in captain Ishan Kishan and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy have hit a fifty each. It is the lack of experienced and wicket-taking bowlers that is hurting the team the most at the moment.
Meanwhile RR are ruling the roost in the league standings. Rajasthan have won all their four matches this season. The IPL's first-ever champion have brushed aside Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Spearheading RR's superb form is their young opening pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashavi Jaiswal. The two batters are ripping apart opposition bowlers with their brutal onslaught. The two batters have hit two half-centuries each and all the four knocks have been breathtaking! Team's wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel has also smashed two half-centuries.
The team's batters have ensured that the bowlers aren't under much duress. Despite that leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi has bowled well and claimed 9 wickets. If other bowlers also start chipping in then RR will become a sure-shot challengers for the title this year.
Weather, Pitch
According to India Meteorological Department, Hyderabad is going to have partly cloudy sky with haze on Monday. The night temperature is going to be around 26°C.
The previous match played here was the game between SRH and LSG. It was a low-scoring fixture where the pacers from both sides picked many wickets. Expect a pacer-friendly track for this match.
Head-to-Head
- Matches Played: 21
- Sunrisers Hyderabad wins: 12
- Rajasthan Royals wins: 9
Players to Watch
- Vaibhav Sooryavshi (Rajasthan Royals): Vaibhav Sooryavshi is the talk of the town in this season's IPL. The 15-year-old has blasted two half-centuries. His attacking style of batting is blunting the opposition's bowling attacks. The way he has targeted high-achieving bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlweood in RR's last two games, shows that the teenager fears no one. If Sooryavshi has good outing, then Rajasthan can have a great game.
- Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad): In Abhishek, Sharma, SRH, too, possess an attacking left-handed opener in their ranks. Abhishek played a fearless knock of 74 in 28 balls in the match against Punjab. SRH's batting is full of attacking batters. If Abhishek gets a fast start, then SRH is sure to have a big score on the board.
Possible Playing XI
- SRH: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (capt. and wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Salil Arora, Nitesh Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel
- RR: Vaibhav Soorvanshi, Yashavi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag (capt.), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Bishnoi, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma
LIVE Telecast
The match will be broadcasted live on the Star Sports television channels.
LIVE Stream
SRH vs RR can also be streamed LIVE on the JioHotstar app and website.
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