Negotiating Delhi Capitals’ pace will be key for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Whoever draws up the bowling plans for Sunrisers Hyderabad is doing a marvellous job. It is fascinating that when taken as a whole, SRH’s attack is as incisive as Capitals’. On paper, DC will start favourites in Sunday’s Qualifier 2, but led by their bowling attack, there is no underestimating SRH.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s answer to Delhi Capitals’ express pace pair of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje is the 120s Sandeep Sharma and 130s Jason Holder-T Natarajan. If Capitals have three strike bowlers—Rabada, Nortje and R Ashwin—SRH have one, Rashid Khan.

Still, whoever draws up the bowling plans for Sunrisers Hyderabad is doing a marvellous job. It is fascinating that when taken as a whole, SRH’s attack is as incisive as Capitals’. On paper, DC will start favourites in Sunday’s Qualifier 2, but led by their bowling attack, there is no underestimating SRH.

SRH get going when every piece of the puzzle fits; or else it can all fall apart. Compared to DC’s world class bowling attack, Sandeep, Natarajan and spinner Shahbaz Nadeem can at best be described as journeymen. All-rounder Holder went unsold at the auction, and came in as like-for-like injury replacement for Mitch Marsh.

Hyderabad’s challenge was bigger this season after losing pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar and all-rounder Vijay Shankar as well to injuries, though they have got the best out of their resources.

How Holder and Nadeem have fitted in is one example. They have played six games each, making an impact in the back-end of IPL 2020. Holder has made a massive difference with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.62, finishing off at least two games with the bat. Skipper David Warner has bowled him first or second change, but in the Eliminator he gave the Windies skipper the new ball to great success. In his opening burst, Holder removed Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal to finish with figures of 4-0-25-3 (10 dot balls).

Holder gave a peek into the most impressive bowling combination this IPL.

“The dynamic of our bowling attack is we have got skills. Sandeep swings the ball, Natarajan is very subtle with variations and is consistent as well. We have a very good balance. We have left-arm seam, then we’ve got Sandeep who is a little shorter, swings it, and then myself, at 6 ft 7 coming in with some bounce and movement also, and then a world class spinner in Rashid Khan. Nadeem has fitted in nicely. David has used him really well… He has done an outstanding job for us in the last couple of fixtures.

Five wickets in six games may not seem much, but Nadeem has played his part with an economy rate of 7.22. On Friday against RCB, the left-arm spinner (4-0-30-1) was brilliant in the middle-overs backing Rashid. He broke the third-wicket partnership between Aaron Finch and AB de Villiers, and then stopped de Villiers from breaking free, cleverly following his footwork as he tried to make room to hit.

Then there is Natarajan. Holder picked three wickets but the highlight of the RCB innings was Natarajan’s yorker to get de Villiers (56) in the final over as he threatened to explode.

Rashid went wicketless in the Eliminator but is the undisputed leader with 19 wickets in 15 games, with an outstanding economy rate of 5.30. Natarajan has 16 wickets in 15 games. Sandeep, incisive with the new ball, has 13 wickets in 12 games.

Kane Williamson and Holder dug in to seal SRH’s tricky chase against RCB. On Sunday against Capitals, they will face a more potent attack. Given how much SRH rely on their top-order, especially Warner, the battle against Rabada and Nortje first up could prove decisive.

Holder said Warner and the top order batsmen won’t hold back. “What we’ve done really well is play aggressive upfront. David has led the charge, supported by (Wriddhiman) Saha when he came in; Jonny Bairstow has been outstanding, Manish Pandey has kept the momentum going. We’ve the level-headedness of Kane in the middle, and it is good to come at the end and finish the job.”

SRH’s struggles have made them one of the favourites with neutral fans. Their biggest setback is Saha’s injury. Whether he plays will be a big factor. Holder was not sure, but Hyderabad will focus on those available. “We don’t play names, we just got to see what the conditions will present; play with confidence as we have done so far, and continue to hit our straps.”

After losing to Kings XI Punjab on October 24, SRH were left with the challenge of having to beat the top three teams—DC, RCB and Mumbai Indians—in their final league fixtures.

Riding on their bowlers’ admirable show, they won all three to finish with 14 points and seal the tightest playoffs race ever in IPL. Capitals were bowled out for 131 in 19 overs, RCB were restricted to 120/7 and MI to 149/8.

To win the title, they must repeat the sequence—RCB are done, two to go!