"It is an entire star cast" - Aakash Chopra on the SunRisers Hyderabad bowling heading into IPL 2023

Aakash Chopra has highlighted that the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have assembled a star-studded bowling lineup heading into IPL 2023.

The Hyderabad-based franchise had the maximum available budget (₹42.25 crore) among all franchises heading into the IPL 2023 auction. While they already had a potent seam-bowling attack, they acquired the likes of Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Mayank Dagar and Akeal Hosein to bolster their spin-bowling resources.

While reflecting on the SunRisers Hyderabad squad on the "AakashVani" show on JioCinema, Chopra pointed out that the Aiden Markram-led side have a plethora of bowling options, elaborating:

"This team's bowling - it is an entire star cast. Fast bowlers - plenty of them - Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, T Natarajan. In spinners, they have Mayank Markande, Akeal Hosein, Washington Sundar and Adil Rashid."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that SRH can even afford to field a bowling attack comprising only Indian players, stating:

"The fast-bowling unit and the overall bowling unit is looking very, very good. Their bowling is their strength because they are probably the only team in the tournament that can play an all-India bowling attack."

The SunRisers Hyderabad will hope that their injury-prone seamers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan and Kartik Tyagi - are fit and available for the entirety of IPL 2023. Washington Sundar, who was bought for ₹8.75 crore at the IPL 2022 auction, could also play only nine matches last year.

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"All four are capable of playing in the XI" - Aakash Chopra on SunRisers Hyderabad's Indian seam-bowling options

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to lead the SRH bowling attack. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra highlighted that the SunRisers Hyderabad have four Indian seamers who can walk into their playing XI, observing:

"If they want, they can go with Adil Rashid. Otherwise, if you want to go with four fast bowlers and a spinner, the entire fast bowling can be made up of Indian bowlers, which will have T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi. All four are capable of playing in the XI."

The former Indian opener added that Marco Jansen could be fielded as an overseas seamer, with Aiden Markram and Abhishek Sharma providing a few overs of spin along with Washington Sundar, saying:

"You can play three out of the four and then you can play a spinner in the form of Washington Sundar, who also bats, and then Marco Jansen and a little bowling from Aiden Markram. Abhishek Sharma also bowls a little left-arm spin."

Chopra also termed Harry Brook an amazing acquisition for the franchise. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player concluded by stating that the SunRisers Hyderabad do not have too many weaknesses and are looking like a very good unit after a long time.