IPL 2018: Predicting how Sunrisers Hyderabad could line up after David Warner's ban

The anchor of IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad's epic rise, their trustworthy leader, the Australian pocket dynamo David Warner, has been ruled out of IPL 11. He, alongside Australian skipper Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, was caught in a horrendous ball tampering incident and has hence received a one-year ban.

This surely comes down as hard as a hammer on the heads of SRH loyalists, because Warner was not only their skipper, but also their most consistent performer. But they will have to shrug the agony off and think about the best team they can field in Warner's absence.

They have already named Kane Williamson as their skipper, and this is how the 'Orange Army' can line up in the upcoming instalment of the world's biggest cricketing extravaganza.

Openers - Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey

David Warner will not play in the IPL, which means no more David-Dhawan show. Hence, Dhawan will have to pair up with a new opening partner. From the options SRH have in store, Manish Pandey seems the best fit.

Pandey did an exceptional job for KKR earlier. However, the number 3 position is where he'd have liked to bat. That doesn't necessarily mean he won't be able to do the job as an opener. He averaged around 50 in the last IPL, with a strike rate of around 130. This shows that he can play the sheet anchor role.

Middle-order - Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson and Shakib Al Hasan

Kane Williamson

With Pandey and Dhawan as openers, the middle-order of SRH is most likely to feature wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha, skipper Kane Williamson and Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. Saha and Williamson might rotate for the crucial number 3 position, while Shakib can slot in at number 5.

Both Saha and Williamson are orthodox cricketers, and Shakib too isn't quite a power-hitter. Hence, the middle-order of SRH is filled with cricketers who are capable of stabilizing the ship, if not go hammer and tongs at the bowling.

Lower middle order - Carlos Brathwaite and Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda

After a string of classy players, Hyderabad have got a power-hitting duo to finish the innings for them. The big West Indian Carlos Brathwaite and Indian youngster Deepak Hooda are all set to be the finishers for the Men in Orange.

Brathwaite's strike rate crossed the 200-mark in IPL 9 when he turned out for Delhi Daredevils. However, there have always been issues with his consistency, which isn't the case with Deepak Hooda. The ever-reliable Hooda had an average of over 25 and a strike rate of 150 in the last IPL. Together, they will make an exciting pair.

Bowlers - Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma and Basil Thampi

Rashid Khan

The spin department of Hyderabad will be spearheaded by young Afghan sensation Rashid Khan, whose nation recently qualified for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. While he will be Williamson's prized wicket-taking asset, Shakib can do a good job with the ball as well.

Hyderabad are perhaps the only side not to have a proper overseas fast bowler in their ranks. But that shouldn't bother them, because they have got one of the best Indians of the modern era, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Sunrisers also have the likes of T Natarajan, Siddarth Kaul and Khaleel Ahmed in their ranks, but the two pacers most likely to make the cut are Sandeep Sharma and Basil Thampi.

It will be a treat to see Sandeep and Bhuvi bowling from the two ends, both capable of swinging the ball either way. On the other hand, Thampi is of a different breed. He grabbed eyeballs last year while playing for Gujarat Lions, because of his pace and insanely precise yorkers.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Predicted XI - Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson (skipper), Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi