SRH vs KKR IPL 2019 Preview: Can RR breach Hyderabad’s fortress?

Despite losing their opening match, Sunrisers Hyderabad remain a formidable force and the return of skipper Kane Williamson further consolidates the squad. Add to it the home advantage and Rajasthan Royals are looking at a daunting task on March 29 in IPL 2019.

Meanwhile, more than Buttler’s controversial run-out, Rajasthan will be more annoyed with their batting collapse that earned them their first defeat of IPL season 12.

The game is tilted in the favor of the hosts but a team comprising of Buttler, Stokes and Sanju Samson can never be written off.

Venue:

The Hyderabad wicket will have something for the bowlers considering the fact that the home team boats of a superior bowling arsenal.

But it won’t be as lethal as the Cheepak pitch that saw RCB and CSK struggle to get runs.

The wicket should assist some movement but it won’t be enough to trouble quality batsmen.

? game number 1⃣ is one sleep away. The boys are training hard & putting in their all. Here's a quick recap from yesterday's training session. #OrangeArmy? #SRH #SunRisersHyderabad #VIVOIPL2019 #Hyderabad #SRH #IPL #IPL2019 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/XeECcx8MEk

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 28, 2019

Form guide:

Between the two, SRH looks in a better shape thanks to their overall balance. Rajasthan meanwhile have a few chinks in their armory especially regarding their pace bowling department.

All aboard! The pink brigade takes on @SunRisers tomorrow in the first away game of the season!

Who all are coming to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium tomorrow? ? #HallaBol pic.twitter.com/eTWAXibnNa

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 28, 2019

Key Numbers:

• Since 2016, SRH has a ratio of 15-6 while playing at home. This is the best among all IPL teams and hence Royals will have to pull out something special to stop Hyderabad’s juggernaut.

• Rahane is known as a technically sound batsman but he has been all over the place against the swing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvi has got out Rahane six times and while Rahane has a strike rate of 91.20 against him.

• Speaking about Bhuvi, the pace bowler is the backbone of SRH’s famed bowling attack and is just four wickets away from becoming their first bowler to take 100 IPL wickets.

Also read: Who Will Hit Ground Running Next? Here’s our picks from the SRH vs RR playing11

Players in focus:

Jos Buttler is in imperious form in 2019. He averages 70.33 in ODIs and has scored 14 sixes in five innings. He started the IPL in style against Punjab and he will look to take on SRH bowlers in the Powerplays on March 28.

Between 2014 and 2016, David Warner scored 22 half-centuries in 45 IPL innings,  which is almost one in every two games.

He is staging a comeback through this IPL and has already ransacked 85 runs in the first game. Against a bowling attack that doesn’t have express pace, he could well make another big score.

However Rajasthan may have him covered in the form of Dhawal Kulkarni. Warner has scored only 44 runs off Kulkarni in 52 balls and has been dismissed twice.