IPL 2024: KKR vs SRH, Match 3 - Top 3 player battles to watch out for

The IPL 2024 is underway and all ten teams have their eyes set on the coveted title. Over the next two months, all the franchises would look to give their best to have a shot at lifting the prestigious trophy at the end of the tournament. All the experts have given their verdicts on their four sides that might qualify for the playoffs as well. The world would have their eyes set on almost all fixtures of the tournament and particularly some key battles getting played out on specific days.

Click Here: SRH vs KKR Live Score, Match 3

Sunrisers Hyderabad would be hosting Kolkata Knight Riders in the 3rd match of the Indian Premier League. This would be the first match of the tournament for these two teams and both would be looking to start their campaign off on a winning note. Both the franchises have bought some marquee signings in the Auctions and all the eyes would be on them to perform right from the word go. 

It is set to be a cracker of a contest between the former IPL champions as some of the biggest stars are locked in to deliver their best performance for their team. Over the past years, these teams have played some glorious matches and it is anticipated that this is going to be a thriller as well. Let’s take a look at some of the key battles between the players of these two IPL franchises.

Here are the Top 3 player battles to watch out for in IPL 2024: KKR vs SRH, Match 3:

3) Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Rinku Singh

The Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer is still considered to be one of the great bowlers of the league despite having not played international cricket since November 2022. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s death bowling has always been a talking point amongst cricket fanatics and it will be put to the test once again in the upcoming season. His new-ball bowling with seaming conditions has always been a delight to watch and it will be key for him to be amongst the wickets from the first match itself.

The Kolkata Knight Riders’ finisher Rinku Singh has been touted as one of the key players for his franchise. He has had two glorious campaigns in the past two IPL seasons and if he fires at all cylinders, it would be difficult for the opposition bowlers to control the damage. His prowess over the years has been spectacular to watch as he made his Team India debut over the past year. 

When Bhuvneshwar Kumar goes up against Rinku Singh in the upcoming game, it will be intriguing to see which player dominates the other. Will the Sunrisers Hyderabad veteran be able to perform against the young batter is a question on everyone’s minds. These two batters also play for the same state team so some banter would have already begun before the match.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Orange Cap

2) Mitchell Starc vs Travis Head

Everyone was left shell-shocked when Kolkata Knight Riders splashed the cash on Mitchell Starc during the IPL 2024 Auctions. Starc got the highest-ever bid during the auctions as he received a whopping INR 24.50 crores. Since that purchase, the question has been whether the veteran can perform in the biggest T20 league. The pacer last played in the tournament in the 2015 season and has been absent for the past eight years from the competition.

Travis KHead had a tremendous 2023 where he performed for his side whenever required the most and it more or less hampered India’s chances in both the ODI World Cup 2023 and the World Test Championship 2023. Sunrisers Hyderabad roped him into the squad for INR 6.25 Crores with the hope that his sublime form can help them lift the trophy for the first time since 2016. 

The Australian speedster would be facing his counterpart in the upcoming game. It would be Starc’s sublime new ball bowling against the in-form Head during the forthcoming match in the Indian Premier League. There is a high chance that whoever prevails in this battle can dictate the outcome of things in this match. 

Also Check: KKR vs SRH Dream11 Prediction

1) Pat Cummins vs Shreyas Iyer

The Australian captain had a spectacular 2023 as he lifted the ODI World Cup 2023 and World Test Championship mace. He was also able to retain the Ashes earlier in the year which made him one of the hottest prospects in the league. Cummins’ year concluded with a whopping INR 20.50 Crores bid from the Sunrisers Hyderabad as well. The franchise decided to make him the skipper as well for the upcoming season. 

Shreyas Iyer has had a topsy-turvy start to the year with a string of poor performances for Team India and concerns around his availability more often than not. This also led to him not being considered for the BCCI central contracts. Nevertheless, he had a blistering Ranji Trophy 2023 final where he scored a vital 95 against Vidarbha. The skipper would be hoping to put all the noise behind him and begin his IPL campaign on a fresh note.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Purple Cap

The battle between the two skippers would be a stellar one and one that can dictate the tide of the match. The short-ball strategy might be one of the ploys that the Australian skipper uses against Shreyas Iyer. If the Kolkata Knight Riders’ skipper can tackle this ploy, it might help his side out throughout the campaign and would instil a lot of confidence into the Indian team management.