IPL 2018: Sunrisers Hyderabad Probable XI

There was so much hype surrounding the mega IPL Auction and one has to accept a fact that it lived up to the expectation. There were very dramatic and nerve-wracking moments, but most of the franchises got what they wanted. After the culmination of the entire Auction process, one team would be really proud of their performance and they are the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

After retaining their core players in David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they managed to get back some other former players like Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Shikhar Dhawan, Chris Jordan, and Kane Williamson. This has ensured that few main players from the side last year will still be an integral part of the team.

Some big new signings they made include Indian International players like Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha, and Yusuf Pathan. They managed to get the services of some very talented all-rounders like Shakib Al Hasan and Carlos Brathwaite at a very moderate price. But the best thing about their team is their fast bowling contingent, which includes some exciting names like Bhuvneshwar, Basil Thampi, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, and Billy Stanlake.

As the Bidding process has finally come to end, let’s analyze the best possible XI for the Orange Army

Openers – David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan

From the 8th edition of the tournament, David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan have been opening for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The role they played in their triumphant campaign in 2016 was priceless and no surprises that they used the RTM card for Dhawan. This is probably one of the best opening combinations in the entire IPL history and the SRH fans would be delighted to see them back together.

Middle Order – Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan

If not the three names mentioned above, they also have the experience of Kane Williamson. But as it stands, the SRH management might go with Manish Pandey at three. The logic is very simple, they splurged Rs. 11 Crore for Manish Pandey since they feel he’ll be the most important batsman after Warner. It would make no sense for him to bat at number 4 or number 5.

The experience of Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan has worked wonders for the Knight Riders. The same duo now will be a part of the Orange Army and it’ll be interesting to see how well they will work with this new bunch. Yusuf might be the floater here and if the team is in trouble, Shakib might bat at number 4. If they need quick runs, Yusuf will take that position.

Wicket Keeper – Wriddhiman Saha

Since the Sunrisers have some world-class bowlers on their side, they definitely need a world-class keeper. Henceforth, Wriddhiman Saha for Rs. 5 Crore was not a bad deal. He is outstanding behind the stumps and they need his quality whilst keeping spinners like Rashid, who tend to bowl a little quicker through the air.

All-rounder – Carlos Brathwaite

They also have Shakib to fulfill the all-rounder role, but his most important role would be as a batsman in this XI. Carlos Brathwaite can work wonders under pressure, we saw an example of it when he spanked Ben Stokes to all parts in the 2016 World T20 Final. He is a brilliant addition to any team and he adds a lot of balance in this unit. He can provide 3 good overs with the ball as well, maybe even four on his day.

Spinner – Rashid Khan

What a proud day for Afghanistan Cricket! Four cricketers from their country got an IPL contract, two of them are a part of this exuberant Sunrisers side. Rashid Khan has been the talk of the town amongst these Afghan cricketers. He can bowl in the Powerplay and in the middle overs very well, so it’ll be interesting to see how Warner uses him.

Fast Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

These three names have already done wonderfully in the IPL. Henceforth, every opponent would be a wary of the threat these guys can pose. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is undoubtedly one of the finest cricketers in the world right now. What he is doing for the Indian side is absolutely priceless. He won the Purple cap in the last two editions and will be looking for a hat-trick.

Siddarth Kaul worked excellently in tandem with Bhuvneshwar last season, especially in the death overs. It came in as no surprise that the Sunrisers went after him once again. Sandeep Sharma is a gem with the new ball and he’ll relish the opportunity to work with Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

For more news and updates from the IPL Auction, follow Crictracker.