3 reasons why SRH must play Glenn Phillips in their starting 11 for IPL 2024

SunRisers Hyderabad, who acquired the services of Glenn Phillips ahead of IPL 2023, will feel pleased by the fact that he is enjoying a good run of form before the 2024 edition of the tournament gets underway.

Phillips, apart from being a handy bet with the bat in hand in the top or middle order, showed what he can do with the ball recently. He picked up a five-wicket haul in the first Test between New Zealand and Australia in Wellington on Saturday.

This was Phillips' first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as well as the first by a New Zealand spinner in a home Test in 16 years. Jeetan Patel last achieved the feat in Napier in 2008.

The South-African born cricketer is a fantastic all-round option for the SunRisers in this season of the IPL, and the latter will be hoping that he can carry his form into the tournament, which begins on 22 March. They will play their first game in Kolkata a day later.

In this article, we bring to you three reasons why the SunRisers must play Phillips in their starting eleven this season.

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#1 Glenn Phillips can hit the ball a long way

One of the biggest reasons why SRH went for Glenn Phillips is because of his ability to hit the ball a long way.

He can be asked to either open the innings or bat in the middle order. If he is able to get 10-15 balls to get his eye in, the opposition bowlers will be fearing for their lives, as he can completely take the game away from them. This is illustrated by the whopping strike rate of 141 that he enjoys in T20 cricket. The Kiwi will desperately want to light the IPL up with his antics.

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#2 He is extremely handy with the ball in hand

As he showed against Australia in the first Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington with a stellar five-wicket haul, Glenn Phillips is known to be more than handy with the ball.

SRH can use his services especially if they come up against southpaws who like to go against the turn. Phillips, who is a wicketkeeper-batter turned off-spinning all rounder, has the ability to drift the ball away from the batters and force them into making false decisions.

He will turn out to be a decent all-round option for the Eagles in this season of the IPL.

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#3. He is a terrific fielder

Glenn Phillips of New Zealand bowls during day three of the First Test in the series between New Zealand and Australia at Basin Reserve on Saturday in Wellington, New Zealand.

To add to Glenn Phillips' ability with both bat and ball in hand, he is known to be a terrific fielder as well. He is known to field at close-in positions when the powerplay is on and man the deep during the slog overs.

Phillips is extremely agile and acrobatic, and that allows him to take catches or save boundaries which seem improbable to the neutral spectator at first glance.

The Kiwi also has a flair for the outstanding, and SRH will be well served by him when he brings them to the fore in Uppal in this season of the IPL.