Sunrisers Hyderabad gamble on bowling first to revive playoff dreams

Pic: IPL/X

A faltering Sunrisers Hyderabad will aim to keep their dwindling IPL 2025 playoff hopes alive when they take on the high-flying Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. Opting to bowl first, SRH face an uphill task against one of the tournament's most balanced and consistent teams.

Gujarat Titans are coming off a bruising eight-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals, largely due to a record-breaking blitz by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who slammed the fastest century of the season, reaching three figures in just 35 deliveries. Despite GT's imposing total of 209/4, their bowlers failed to contain the RR youngster's assault.

However, the loss has done little to shake GT's position in the standings. With six wins from nine matches and 12 points in the bank, the Shubman Gill-led unit needs just two more victories from their remaining five games to likely secure a playoff berth. Playing at home, GT will rely heavily on their in-form batting core.

Orange Cap holder Sai Sudharsan has been a revelation, amassing 456 runs with five half-centuries. He is well-supported by skipper Gill (389 runs) and Jos Buttler (406 runs), both of whom are also among the league's top-seven run scorers, forming a fearsome top order.

On the bowling front, GT boasts depth and variation. Prasidh Krishna has been leading the pace unit with confidence, ably backed by Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma. The spin attack has received a timely boost with Rashid Khan rediscovering his form, highlighted by his 2/25 against KKR, while Washington Sundar remains a dependable option.

In the reverse fixture earlier this season, GT handed SRH a convincing seven-wicket defeat, thanks to Mohammed Siraj's match-winning 4/17 spell in Hyderabad. The Titans will look to repeat that dominant display.

Meanwhile, SRH are clinging to survival with only three wins from nine outings. The 2023 runners-up are languishing at ninth place, and another defeat could seal their fate. While openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head showed early promise, both have faltered of late. Head has only one fifty in his last eight innings, while Abhishek has failed to reach double digits in consecutive games.

Amid this inconsistency, 23-year-old Aniket Verma has been a rare bright spot, outshining several seasoned names in six-hitting prowess. In the bowling department, Harshal Patel has impressed, but SRH desperately need experienced campaigners like Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami to deliver when it matters most.