IPL 2018: 5 key players for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs

In 2016 IPL, the first playoff team was confirmed on the penultimate day of completion of league stage matches. But now in 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad have confirmed a playoff spot in the 42nd match itself with more than a week's time for completion of league stages.

They have defeated six of the remaining seven teams to date, such has been the dominance of the Hyderabad-based franchise.

While KXIP could manage one win against SRH at the back of Gayle's century, Chennai Super Kings have trounced the table toppers twice thanks to Ambati Rayudu's sublime batting in both the matches.

With just three losses in twelve matches, Sunrisers are definitely sitting comfortably at the top and will secure one of the top two positions.

Even though they get another chance if they lose Qualifier 1, the Orange Army would want to make a direct entry into the finals.

Here are the five players who can win the title for Sunrisers Hyderabad this year:

---

#1 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson (Source: BCCI)

After the auction, Kane Williamson was not expected to feature for Sunrisers in all the games.

But look how things change. Now, Williamson is the pivotal player around whom the whole team bats. His performance as a captain has been the more impressive than his batting, in spite of him being one of the top run-getters in the tournament.

Williamson has manoeuvred the bowling resources in a very efficient manner and has always maintained his cool even while defending low scores.

He helped SRH defend low scores like 118, 132, 151, and 146 in a tournament in which teams generally prefer to chase.

He has scored 7 half-centuries in twelve games so far and has been crucial to SRH's success even on slow, two-paced pitches on which his teammates struggled to find a rhythm.

All in all, he scored 544 runs in 12 innings with an average of 60.44 and a strike rate of 134.98. Williamson has adapted to different pitches well and has helped his team reach the scores they can defend on sluggish pitches.

Williamson has led the team wonderfully in the tournament so far and will hope to continue the same in the playoffs.

Runs: 544, Innings: 12, Average: 60.44, Strike rate: 134.98

#2 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan (Source: BCCI)

Shikhar Dhawan started the tournament with a bang as he scored 123 runs in the first two games. But his injury against KXIP in SRH's fourth game had quite an effect on Dhawan's batting.

In seven games in the middle, Dhawan scored only 75 runs for the team from Hyderabad. But his recent innings against Delhi Daredevils proved that it would be wrong to write him off just yet.

Shikhar Dhawan was the second highest run-getter for Sunrisers Hyderabad even before his 92* against DD.

He backed up the performance against DD with another half-century against the Chennai Super Kings. The 49-ball 79 showed that Dhawan is back in form and the innings against DD was not just an odd one in the middle of a lull period.

With Dhawan coming back to form and opening with Hales, it will definitely be a boost to a side which struggled a bit with the bat.

SRH will hope that the top-order continue their form so that they can go all the way in the tournament

Runs: 369, Innings: 11, Average: 46.12, Strike rate: 142.47

#3 Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan (Source: BCCI)

Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan have been doing wonders for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially in the middle overs. Both the spinners have the ability to bowl at any stage of the game, giving Williamson more room to rotate his bowlers.

Williamson has been using Shakib and Rashid differently, with Shakib bowling an over or two in the powerplay and Rashid bowling in the death to generate wickets, a move which back-fired a few times but, has been effective mostly.

Rashid and Shakib together have picked up 25 wickets for their team with a combined economy rate of 7.46.

Of the two spinners, Rashid has been the captain's go-to bowler to take wickets at any stage of the game.

He has been used at times in the powerplay overs and regularly in the death overs by Kane Williamson. Rashid has also won three man-of-the-match awards in the tournament and has been crucial to SRH's success and the team will hope that he'll continue the same in playoffs.

Matches: 12, Wickets: 13, Strike rate: 22.15, Economy rate: 7.20

#4 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Source: BCCI)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Purple Cap winner of last two seasons, has started the season well but, had to sit out for four matches due to a back injury. In the eight matches that he played, he picked up 8 wickets and was a tad bit expensive compared to his teammates.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will need Bhuvi to fire in the playoffs if they want to win their second title. He has been off-color particularly in the last two matches, as he conceded 89 runs for just 2 wickets.

His economy rate took a hit as Pant clobbered 26 runs off 5 deliveries in the last over of the innings, which was bowled by Bhuvi.

SRH have always been dependent on their bowlers to see them through and will need their main bowler to get back in form for the playoffs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's performance in the next few matches might define SRH's campaign and the team will hope that he'll do good in crucial matches.

Matches: 8, Wickets: 8, Strike rate: 23.25, Economy rate: 8.12

#5 Siddarth Kaul

Siddarth Kaul (Source: BCCI)

In the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, SRH's only retained player, the Sunrisers have defended three low totals in three consecutive matches. That shows how much Siddarth Kaul and Sandeep Sharma have contributed to the best bowling lineup in IPL.

With Bhuvi's return to the playing XI, SRH's bowling lineup is more potent and has the ability to bowl out any batting lineup.

Of the three fast bowlers in SRH's arsenal, Siddharth Kaul has been the most impressive, as he picked up 13 wickets in 12 matches with an economy rate of 7.87.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will need Kaul to perform well in the tournament, as he has been a wicket-taking bowler in the middle and the death overs.

Batsmen win you games, bowlers win you tournaments.

This seems to be the philosophy of Sunrisers Hyderabad which they have been successful so far and will look to continue the same in the playoffs.

Matches: 12, Wickets: 13, Strike rate: 21.69, Economy rate: 7.87