Match detailsMumbai, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT)Sunrisers HyderabadRohit Sharma was MI’s Impact Player in their last game, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), a back spasm forcing the team to use their ex-captain in this role. He should return to the starting XI if he is back to full fitness. MI may also reconsider the idea of deploying just two overseas players: with Rohit designated to come off the bench as an almost mandatory impact sub, they were unable to use either Mohammad Nabi – whose offspin could have been very useful on a pitch where the part-timer Naman Dhir ended up bowling three overs – or the big-hitting Romario Shepherd off the bench, so it felt like a waste to start neither of them.SRH made a significant decision in their last game, leaving out the out-of-form Aiden Markram and bringing in the bowling allrounder Marco Jansen. They are likely to stick to that overseas combination at the Wankhede, with their last bowling pick – either Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik or Mayank Markande – likely to be conditions-dependent.
Abdul Samad will need to find a way to raise his game in chases•BCCI
When things fall into place for them, SRH’s batting line-up is awe-inspiring. When the top order doesn’t click, though, vulnerabilities begin to appear. SRH have more than adequate batting depth on paper to not let a couple of early wickets derail them, but that depth doesn’t always translate into returns on the field. It’s been particularly evident in run-chases this season. Perhaps what they need is for Abdul Samad, a batter of immense potential as well as frustrating limitations, to round out his game. While batting first, Samad is often the perfect end-overs finisher, but his game isn’t always suited to situations that call for multiple gears against different styles of bowling. His record reflects this: he averages 34.66 and strikes at 236.36 while batting first this season, while going at 14.66 and 125.71 in chases. It’s been a pattern over his IPL career too: batting first he’s gone at 32.22 and 164.77, and while chasing those numbers drop to 14.88 and 133.15. His bowling-type numbers also tell a similar story: he has averaged 23.94 and struck at 174.49 against pace over his IPL career, while going at 16.00 and 94.11 against spin.
Stats that matter
- SRH’s two most dangerous spin hitters have terrific records against Piyush Chawla. Abhishek Sharma has hit the legspinner for 40 runs in 16 balls in T20s while being dismissed twice, while Klaasen has hit him for 28 runs in 14 balls while being dismissed once.
- MI would love to have Tim David facing Natarajan in the death overs. So far, David has scored 47 off 16 balls from the left-arm quick without being dismissed.
- Travis Head is eight runs away from the 3000 mark in T20s.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs three wickets to get to the milestone of 300 in T20s, while Unadkat is one short of 100 IPL wickets.
Pitch and conditions
The Wankhede is usually characterised by high scores and tall run-chases, but the most recent game there, between MI and KKR, had a different flavour, with the spinners coming into their own. Chawla picked up 1 for 15 in three overs, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy returned identical figures of 4-0-22-2 for KKR. It remains to be seen if this was a sign of wearing pitches in the second half of the season or just a one-off.
