IPL 2018, Qualifier 2: KKR vs SRH: 3 areas for SRH to work on to get back to winning ways

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have performed much better than all the other teams in the playoffs stage. That’s the primary reason for them to finish at the top of the points table.

Clinical performances throughout from their captain Kane Williamson, aided by their bowling attack which has performed to expectations has ensured that SRH is a force to reckon with and are a tough side to beat.

But ever since they qualified for the playoffs, they went off the boil. They lost their regular wicket-keeper Wridhiman Saha, Yusuf Pathan got injured and most importantly their bowling hasn’t been as consistent and potent as it was in the earlier stages of the tournament.

After a nerve-wrecking crazy first playoff game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where they lost out to the brilliance of Faf Du Plessis, SRH get another opportunity to redeem themselves and make it to the finals to be played at the Wankhede Stadium on May 27th.

Here’s looking at some of the areas where SRH must work to get to back to winning ways against KKR in the second playoffs at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata:

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#3 SRH’s batting shouldn’t be only about Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson has been in great form this season

It’s never easy to step into the shoes of David Warner, especially after the success he has had as a batsman and skipper for SRH in previous years. But Williamson has embraced that challenge and has come out triumphant.

He has elevated his game to a different level in this IPL. Solid, yet attacking at the top of the order, he offers the right balance at the top of the order.

Adaptability to different conditions and situations have been Kane Williamson’s biggest strength. No wonder he wears the orange cup currently, having scored 685 runs in 15 matches.

But there starts the problem for SRH, ' Who else can support Williamson?' As he can ‘not win you all the games with the bat, something we got to witness in the first playoff where he fell early and the innings collapsed.

Shikhar Dhawan and Shakib Al Hasan with their immense talent and experience they possess, must rise up to the occasion and deliver.

There is no scope for failure and one or both of these players, who can be devastating on their day, must support their skipper against KKR.

The pitch at the Eden Gardens will offer a lot of runs and spin. If SRH leaves everything for their skipper to do, then a dominating and successful campaign will end in despair and heartbreak.

#2 SRH must sort out their middle-order woes

Manish Pandey has had a season to forget

As mentioned earlier, SRH have been a one-man army thus far. The outstanding depth in their bowling line-up has covered up for their fragile and woefully out of form middle-order.

It’s really too late for SRH to juggle around too much with their middle order. Yusuf Pathan hasn’t been effective, Deepak Hooda has had a forgettable season and the person they entrusted a lot of hope, has had his worst IPL in terms of impact and contribution to his team’s success.

So then what can this team do to provide solid support to their top three? Well, they can change their batting order.

Carlos Braithwaite showed he has the power intact, so he can be pushed up the order to surprise the opposition.

The likes of Manish Pandey, Hooda and Al Hasan should be able to finish off the innings. SRH must pull of a trick to put off KKR from the set plans they might have come into this big encounter.

It’s too late in the tournament for personnel changes to make any impact on their batting. SRH would hope that players with proven T20 potential come good on the big day and take them to the finals against CSK.

#1 They must get their death bowling plans sorted out

Rashid Khan has been SRH's go to bowler

Among the reasons for SRH’s losing streak heading into their playoff clash against KKR is the disappointing performance of their bowlers at the death overs. Let’s not go too far back and instead dissect what went wrong against CSK.

Rashid Khan was in imperious touch with his spell of 4-0-11-2 and even the likes of Al Hasan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar pulled the game away from CSK through their relentless bowling efforts.

Where the game slipped away is what Williamson has to address. The 17th and 18th overs completely swung the momentum in favor of CSK and allowed them to be victorious.

Could the skipper have held back Khan? Could he have bowled Bhuvi in the 17th over instead of Braithwaite?

These are some points for SRH to take note of. When you world class bowlers in Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in your team, they must not finish their quota of overs too early.

Especially in a high-pressure game at the Eden Gardens, the last few overs must be given to Khan, Siddharth Kaul and Kumar and no one else.

If they modify their plans for the death overs and execute them, then SRH can surely reach the finals of VIVO IPL 2018.

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