Sunrisers Hyderabad might not have clinched the title in 2024, but their explosive performance during the season will likely be remembered for changing the game in T20 batting. They consistently maintained a run rate exceeding 10 during the league stage, making scores like 250 feel like the norm.

A key factor in their incredible hitting was the strong starts provided by openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. They boasted an impressive powerplay run rate of 13.21 runs per over and racked up an astonishing 599 runs in just 13 innings last season, averaging 49.91.

Strength: Increased power for bigger hits

Ishan Kishan has joined the ranks of big hitters. While he’s been an opener for the Mumbai Indians all this time, it would be surprising if SRH decided to break up the Head-Abhishek duo, so Kishan is likely to fit in at No. 3. On his best days, he can single-handedly turn games around, and considering he’s been overlooked for national selection for about a year, he’s definitely got something to prove.

Next up should be Nitish Kumar Reddy, who’s riding high on confidence after his successful outings with India in T20Is and, more importantly, in the Test matches in Australia. The only downside is that he hasn’t played any cricket in over a month due to a side strain he picked up during India’s T20 series against England in January. Following him, the dynamic Heinrich Klaasen should come in, and he and Reddy could swap places based on how the match unfolds. Abhinav Manohar has demonstrated his finishing abilities before, and if he doesn’t deliver, captain Pat Cummins can definitely step in. It’s all about the power!

Weakness: A tough day at bat and Shami's struggles on the field

Taking a high-risk approach like SRH did last season can lead to some serious downsides, and we saw that play out in the worst way possible. In the final against KKR, they lost four wickets in just the first seven overs, managing only 47 runs, with Abhishek scoring two and Head getting out for a duck. They ended up all out for a mere 113 runs, and KKR wrapped it up in just over 10 overs. Earlier, they struggled against Rajasthan Royals in the second qualifier, finishing at 175/9 after a solid start of 99 runs in the first 10 overs.

Another issue is a bit more unpredictable. Mohammed Shami seemed to be getting closer to his peak performance as the 2025 Champions Trophy went on, and his bowling was key to India clinching the title. However, Shami has a long season ahead, with the IPL followed by a tough five-Test tour of England. SRH will need to find a way to maximize his contributions while also keeping him healthy and avoiding any fitness setbacks.

Forecast

Just like last year, SRH is going to be a tough challenge for any bowler stepping into Hyderabad who isn’t sporting their colors. Their amazing batting lineup makes them strong contenders to make it to the finals again. However, once they get there, it’ll all come down to whether they can keep up their big-hitting style at Eden Gardens.

Here’s the full SRH squad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Brydon Carse, Kamindu Mendis, Aniket Verma, Eshan Malinga, Sachin Baby.

Read Also: Why is MS Dhoni still playing at 43? Harbhajan Singh reveals reason CSK icon is playing his 18th IPL season

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