Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) eye their second title as they kick-start their preparations for VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. SRH have truly been the New Zealand of IPL over the years. They don’t make a lot of noise during their campaign but somehow manage to qualify for the final four. The 2016 IPL winners, in fact, are the only side to have qualified for the playoffs every time in the last five seasons. However, they only have a solitary title in their cabinet, and they would be determined to get the glory once again. IPL 2021 Schedule in PDF for Free Download: Get Indian Premier League 14 Venues, Full Time Table, Fixtures and Match Timings in IST.

David Warner’s men blew hot and cold last season, but they gained momentum in the latter half of the tournament and eventually finished at the third spot. The owners haven’t tinkered much with the squad, buying mere three players at the auction event last month. Hence, their won’t be massive changes in the line-up that served the Orange army last season. SRH will begin their IPL 2021 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. As the gala tournament takes a countdown, let’s look at their first-choice line-up. SRH IPL 2021 Squad: List of Retained & Released Players by Sunrisers Hyderabad Team Ahead of Auctions.

Openers: Skipper David Warner boasts off a staggering IPL record, and he’ll continue to serve SRH in the top-order. It would be a toss-up between Wriddhiman Saha and Jonny Bairstow for the other opening slot. The England dasher was dropped in the latter half of last season to make a place for West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder. However, keeping him in benches won’t be vice, specially after his jaw-dropping performances in the recently-concluded series against India. Bairstow will also keep the wickets.

Middle-Order: New Zealand talisman Kane Williamson might not be a dasher, but his utility in T20 cricket can’t be ignored. The Kiwi star can score runs at a decent pace, and his ability to stay at the crease for long allows other batsmen to play freely. Manish Pandey will occupy the number four slot, and he has a point to prove. Pandey wasn’t picked in India’s T20I squad for the series against England, and only a terrific IPL 2021 season could give him a berth in the national team for ICC T20 World Cup later this year.

All-Rounders: It would be a toss-up between Vijay Shankar and Abhishek Sharma for the number five slot. Both players can play big shots in the end and also chip in with handy overs. The latter was in red-hot form during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and might get a not ahead of Shankar. Moreover, he’s a southpaw and will provide variety in the batting line-up.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Abdul Samad will be next in the line-up. The young dasher impressed one and all with his big-hitting last season and will be expected to shine again. Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan can be asked to bat at number seven. While the leg-spinner’s bowling prowess is hidden from none, Rashid can hurt opposition with his big-hitting as well.

Bowlers: Fortunately, SRH have brilliant Indian bowlers, which allow them to play four overseas players in the top seven. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was at his A-game against England and will lead the pace attack. Sandeep Sharma is also a proven IPL star and will be the other right-arm pacer in the team. Providing the variety, left-arm fast bowler T Natarajan will have the onus to show his magic in the death overs. At the same time, Shahbaz Nadeem, a left-arm spinner, would partner Rashid in the spin department.

SRH Likely Playing XI In IPL 2021: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, Shahbaz Nadeem

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 31, 2021 01:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).