IPL 2020: 5 Sunrisers Hyderabad players to watch out for

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have always been the team that make smart buys in the IPL auctions. Although they have some big stars in their team like David Warner and Kane Williamson, SRH always look to make utility buys and thus are never considered as firm favourties for winning the IPL.

However, they have won the IPL once in 2016 under the leadership of Warner and will be hoping to replicate that performance this season.

Having a strong Indian pace attack always helps and SRH have stocked their bowling lineup with pacers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, etc. But there are five such players whose performance will be crucial in determining the fate of SRH this season. Here is a look at five players from SRH who can make a huge difference in IPL 2020.

IPL 2020: 5 Sunrisers Hyderabad players to watch out for

5. Abdul Samad

Abdul Samad impressed Irfan Pathan with his big-hitting for Jammu and Kashmir in the 2019-20 season

18-year-old Abdul Samad has impressed one and all with his performances for Jammu and Kashmir in the 2019-20 domestic season. He was so impressive with his big-hitting that former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan urged the SRH franchise to buy him.

SRH is a top-heavy side and will need a good finisher towards the end and Samad can fulfill those duties. Plus Samad can contribute with the ball, having a very good googly up his sleeve. With the likes of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan present in the team and Muttiah Muralithanran as the spin coach, Samad will have lots to learn from and can really be an X-factor for SRH.

4. Virat Singh

Virat SIngh was impressive for Jharkhand in the 2019-20 domestic season

Another surprising name in the list is of the young southpaw from Jharkhand Virat Singh. As mentioned before, SRH are a top-heavy side and, after the likes of Warner and Jonny Bairstow at the top, it is a very thin batting line-up on paper with only Manish Pandey being the experienced batsman in the middle.

However, Virat SIngh can change that by adding a new look to the middle order of SRH and he has proved his capability in the 2019-20 domestic season for Jharkhand.

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Virat SIngh scored 335 runs at a brilliant average of 83.75 while in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 343 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 142.32. If Virat SIngh is able to bat to his potential, a lot of middle-order problems of SRH will be solved.

3. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan has been one of the main weapons of SRH's bowling attack over the years

The 21-year-old star Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan had made his debut in the IPL for SRH in 2017 and since then has been one of their major weapons. Picking up wickets while maintaining a stunning economy is something Rashid Khan has become really good at.

Rashid has picked up 55 wickets in his IPL career from 46 games at an average of 21.69 and a strike rate of 19.85. He is also handy with the bat, having a strike-rate of 165.07.

He will again be a crucial part of SRH's bowling attack and, though he can be a bit expensive at times, nothing goes against the fact that his form will make a huge difference to SRH's chances this IPL season.

2. Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow had a brilliant debut campaign in IPL 2019, scoring 445 runs from 10 games

The swashbuckling England opener got to play only 10 games last season for SRH due to national commitments. However, he proved to be the ideal foil for David Warner as he got SRH off to flying starts and let Warner settle into his own rhythm. Bairstow and Warner went on to become one of the most dangerous partnerships of the IPL 2019.

In just 10 games, Bairstow scored 445 runs at a brilliant average of 55.62 including a fluent century (114). The kind of start that Bairstow and Warner give will be crucial for SRH's chances as it will set the tone whether they are setting a target or chasing it. If Bairstow and Warner play to their potential they could literally light up the IPL and SRH will be in a great position to win their second IPL title.

1.David Warner

David Warner's form will be the most crucial factor for determining SRH's title hopes this IPL season

Last but not the least, the main man of SRH, their skipper David Warner. Warner has been SRH's most valuable player ever since 2014 and has won the Orange Cap three times. In fact, he has scored the most number of runs in the IPL since 2014 and is fourth among the all-time run-scorers in the list with 4706 runs at an impressive average of 43.17 and a stunning strike-rate of 142.

Warner's form with the bat is probably more important than anything else for SRH and if he is at his best, we can be in for another season where he scored tonnes of runs.

In 126 games that he has played in the IPL, he has 44 half centuries and 4 centuries. Thus the numbers itself show how important a player Warner is for SRH and his form will be the most crucial factor in determining whether SRH will win their second IPL title.