IPL 2018, SRH vs RR Match Prediction: Who will win today's match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals

This was supposed to be the battle between David Warner and Steve Smith. The battle of the Australian vice-captain and captain but instead this will now be the battle of the two stylish and orthodox batsman who have made a career of breaking stereotypes.

This will also be a game that will showcase which side are better equipped to handle the loss of a star performer.

SRH suffered a huge loss even before the start of the IPL as they will be without the services of David Warner for the duration of the tournament. In Alex Hales they announced a replacement but asking someone who has never played in the IPL to replace a player that is averaging over 50 in the IPL since 2014 is asking a toddler to compete in a sprint.

While Hales is unlikely to start their opening encounter, they will need their top-order to fire if they are set big totals. However, even if they fail to set massive totals, they have an incredibly strong bowling line-up with plenty of variety to trouble any batting line-up. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan are contenders for the Purple cap, they also have a solid support cast around with the likes of Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Basil Thampi.

For Rajasthan Royals, they too will be without a star Australian batsman in Steve Smith but they should have enough in their locker to ensure that his loss isn't as massive. If SRH's strength is their bowling then Rajasthan's is their batting, especially when you consider that they have Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen.

It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this battle between bat and ball. Let's take a look at how the match might turn out:

Date: April 9

Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

Time: 20:00 IST

If Sunrisers Hyderabad bat first

Predicted score: 160+

In the absence of David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan is likely to open the innings alongside captain Kane Williamson. While Dhawan has been in sensational form, SRH will need Williamson to get out of the slump that he is in if they are to have a solid season this time around.

In Manish Pandey, they have the perfect No.3, who has been a consistent performer in the IPL. After that the batting isn't as solid as SRH would have wanted. While they have fire power in the form of Deepak Hooda and Yusuf, they still have a tough call to make with respect to their overseas all-rounder.

If the hosts are to set an above par total after batting first, they will need one of their top three to make a huge contribution and trust the rest of the middle-order to provide useful cameos. Still, they will need something special from someone to score in excess of 160.

If Rajasthan Royals bat first

Predicted score: 165+

Even in the absence of Steve Smith, Rajasthan Royals still have a formidable side that can challenge any side on their day and come out on top. If they are to do well and clinch a victory in their opening game, they will need their openers to fire on all cylinders.

Both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandeep Sharma are known for their economical bowling with the new ball and the RR openers will not only have to find a way past them but also ensure that they get off to a good start.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane will be key as they look to start with a win and he will also need plenty of support from his opening partner, whether that is Australian D'Arcy Short or Rahul Tripathi. The middle-order has plenty of fire power with the likes of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Heinrich Klaasen.

The only thing that will stand in their way of a really big total is the death bowling of SRH, who have the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul and even Rashid Khan they can call on to finish the innings. Buttler's innovative strokes will key to them getting a score in excess of 165.

Match prediction:

While both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are missing their captains, one side is clearly more equipped to deal with the loss of theirs. While Smith is a big miss, they have plenty of firepower in his absence and how they fare against SRH's formidable bowling line-up will be the question on everyone's lips. While SRH's batting isn't superlative, if their bowling comes good, they should have enough in the tank to come out on top. The fact that they are playing at home means that they have the slight upper hand in this clash between bat and ball.

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