IPL 2019: Warner Return Adds to Hyderabad's Strength and Problem of Plenty
(BCCI)
This edition will mark the return of Sunrisers Hyderabad's prodigal son - David Warner. The dynamic opener from Australia was banned last season because of his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. In his absence, Kane Williamson did a terrific job and will once again be the official leader of the Orange Army. However, all eyes will be on Warner who will be itching to make a comeback.
The franchise has a habit of utilising their resources to fullest and that's exactly what they did last season where they lost to Chennai Super Kings in the final. They will be without Shikhar Dhawan, but still have a solid unit. In Tom Moody, VVS Laxman and Muttiah Muralitharan, Hyderabad have a very matured coaching group who will have to help Williamson take some important and tough calls regarding team combination.
They will play their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on March 24.
STRENGTH
Bowling has always been Hyderabad’s strength, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will yet again lead the charge along with Rashid Khan. The likes of Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed and Siddarth Kaul have already played for India, while Basil Thampi and T Natarajan are two other exciting prospects from the southern states. They lacked a prominent Indian spinner but the arrival of Shahbaz Nadeem strengthens their bowling even further. Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Nabi and Vijay Shankar are other solid options that Williamson can work with. If that was not enough, Hyderabad also have a fearsome pacer in Billy Stanlake. The team is known to defend low totals and their bowling will once again be their biggest strength this year.
However, what makes Hyderabad even more comprehensive is the mix of solid foreign and domestic batsmen. The team management has the option of forming a superb top order with Warner, Williamson, Jonny Bairstow and Martin Guptill which will take care of the gap left by Dhawan. The middle order will rely on domestic players like Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda and Vijay, while they also have the options of Shakib and Nabi. With so many options available, the task of forming an XI isn't going to be easy for the team management.
WEAKNESSES
It's not easy to point out weaknesses when the team is so perfectly balanced. Despite having four solid options up the order, Hyderabad will have to choose only two (Williamson and most likely Warner) if they have to play Shakib and Rashid. That's when one of Wriddhiman Saha or Shreevats Goswami will have to open and that might add some pressure on Warner. Like Saha, he himself is returning from an injury and might take some time to get going.
Hyderabad can also be exposed at the latter half of the tournament when the likes of Warner, Bairstow, Nabi and Rashid might have to return early for international assignments and World Cup preparations.
PAST RECORD
Hyderabad made it to the playoffs in their first season in 2013, but finished sixth out of eight teams in the subsequent two seasons. They were the champions in 2016 and qualified for the playoffs in 2017. In 2018, Williamson stood up in the absence of Warner and ran a fabulous campaign where they made it to the finals.
2019 AUCTION ACTION
With Dhawan moving to Delhi Capitals, Hyderabad managed to rope in Nadeem, Vijay and promising all-rounder Abhishek Sharma, which actually isn't a bad deal. They needed a solid opener in place of Dhawan and they got Bairstow (Rs 2.2 crore). Both Warner and Bairstow will leave early, but in Guptill (Rs 1 crore), Hyderabad have a solid replacement. Saha (Rs 1.20 crore) is the only other player they bought in the auction.
WORLD CUP EFFECT
Hyderabad are one of those teams who will be heavily affected by the World Cup. If selected, Warner will have to take part in the pre-tournament camp in early May. Bairstow will have to fly back to England for international assignments, while Rashid and Nabi too are scheduled to fly to Scotland and Ireland for limited-overs tours.
SQUAD
David Warner, Kane Williamson (capt), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui, Shreevats Goswami, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Martin Guptill, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Billy Stanlake, K Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan.
STRENGTH
Bowling has always been Hyderabad’s strength, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will yet again lead the charge along with Rashid Khan. The likes of Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed and Siddarth Kaul have already played for India, while Basil Thampi and T Natarajan are two other exciting prospects from the southern states. They lacked a prominent Indian spinner but the arrival of Shahbaz Nadeem strengthens their bowling even further. Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Nabi and Vijay Shankar are other solid options that Williamson can work with. If that was not enough, Hyderabad also have a fearsome pacer in Billy Stanlake. The team is known to defend low totals and their bowling will once again be their biggest strength this year.
However, what makes Hyderabad even more comprehensive is the mix of solid foreign and domestic batsmen. The team management has the option of forming a superb top order with Warner, Williamson, Jonny Bairstow and Martin Guptill which will take care of the gap left by Dhawan. The middle order will rely on domestic players like Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda and Vijay, while they also have the options of Shakib and Nabi. With so many options available, the task of forming an XI isn't going to be easy for the team management.
WEAKNESSES
It's not easy to point out weaknesses when the team is so perfectly balanced. Despite having four solid options up the order, Hyderabad will have to choose only two (Williamson and most likely Warner) if they have to play Shakib and Rashid. That's when one of Wriddhiman Saha or Shreevats Goswami will have to open and that might add some pressure on Warner. Like Saha, he himself is returning from an injury and might take some time to get going.
Hyderabad can also be exposed at the latter half of the tournament when the likes of Warner, Bairstow, Nabi and Rashid might have to return early for international assignments and World Cup preparations.
PAST RECORD
Hyderabad made it to the playoffs in their first season in 2013, but finished sixth out of eight teams in the subsequent two seasons. They were the champions in 2016 and qualified for the playoffs in 2017. In 2018, Williamson stood up in the absence of Warner and ran a fabulous campaign where they made it to the finals.
2019 AUCTION ACTION
With Dhawan moving to Delhi Capitals, Hyderabad managed to rope in Nadeem, Vijay and promising all-rounder Abhishek Sharma, which actually isn't a bad deal. They needed a solid opener in place of Dhawan and they got Bairstow (Rs 2.2 crore). Both Warner and Bairstow will leave early, but in Guptill (Rs 1 crore), Hyderabad have a solid replacement. Saha (Rs 1.20 crore) is the only other player they bought in the auction.
WORLD CUP EFFECT
Hyderabad are one of those teams who will be heavily affected by the World Cup. If selected, Warner will have to take part in the pre-tournament camp in early May. Bairstow will have to fly back to England for international assignments, while Rashid and Nabi too are scheduled to fly to Scotland and Ireland for limited-overs tours.
SQUAD
David Warner, Kane Williamson (capt), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui, Shreevats Goswami, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Martin Guptill, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Billy Stanlake, K Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan.
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