A look at five players who may impact Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Lions

The players who can tilt the matches in their team’s favour.

Here’s a look at players who may not be the star players for their teams, but may play a stellar role:

Dinesh Karthik has scored 309 runs in 15 matches so far. (AFP)

Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik was one of the most expensive buys in 2014 when Delhi Daredevils invested 12.5 crores in him. But Karthik failed to live up to the billing. This year, with Lions, Karthik has played a few good knocks but he hasn’t been able to shoulder the responsibility in the middle-order. This match is an opportunity for Karthik to come good Hyderabad and shore up their wobbly middle-order.

Bipul Sharma

The Himachal Pradesh skipper might have played just five games and scored 19 runs, but his two sixes against Kolkata Knight Riders in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s final over took the side to what became a winning total. Sharma has been a capable hitter of the ball and can also bowl left-arm spin. Against Gujarat Lions, he will be facing two left-arm spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Shadab Jakati and the pace at which both of them operate could help Sharma to free his arms.

Deepak Hooda

Unlike the past editions, Deepak Hooda has had a silent IPL campaign so far. For the Rajasthan Royals, Hooda had played match-winning knocks but he is yet to fire for the Hyderabad franchise. In the previous game, he started off well alongside Yuvraj Singh but lost his wicket through a direct hit. Though, SRH have been batting quite well, still a contribution from Hooda in the middle-order could push the run-rate up.

Ben Cutting

The Aussie all-rounder has just two games under his belt so far this IPL. The big Australian has the capability of using the big handle. But the main reason why skipper David Warner is interested in him is because he is also a handy bowling option. Against KKR, he got a set Gautam Gambhir out at an important juncture which changed the course of the game. Warner will be expecting another effective contribution from Cutting.

Barinder Sran

Warner praised this Chandigarh pacer for his attitude to learn. Sran has 13 wickets in 12 games and Warner knows what he is capable of. Sran can bring the ball back into the right handers and has picked up early wickets for his team too. Sran could pose difficulties to the right-handed Gujarat Lions openers -- Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum.