"They need to go after Rachin Ravindra big time" - Irfan Pathan on the SunRisers Hyderabad heading into IPL 2024 auction

Irfan Pathan feels Rachin Ravindra could be a vital acquisition for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the upcoming IPL 2024 auction.

The Hyderabad-based franchise has a remaining purse of ₹34 crore heading into the auction in Dubai on December 19. They can buy a maximum of six players, which includes three overseas cricketers.

While previewing the auction on Star Sports, Pathan opined that the SunRisers Hyderabad need a wicket-taking spinner and named Rachin Ravindra, who can serve as a backup opener, as their primary target. He elaborated:

"Ideally, they would like to have a proper spinner who is a wicket-taker. They had Adil Rashid, they don't have his services now. Obviously, they have Mayank Markande but they need a bit more than that."

The former India all-rounder added:

"If they have two all-rounders going really well as far as batting is concerned in Washington Sundar and Marco Jansen, they can actually play with the playing XI. A backup opener is very, very crucial for them and that is why they need to go after Rachin Ravindra big time."

Pathan pointed out that Ravindra can bat in the top three and give a couple of overs against right-handers. Sanjay Manjrekar concurred with Pathan's views, highlighting the New Zealand player's acquisition will make SRH a unique team as they already have two frontline batters, Aiden Markram and Glenn Phillips, who can bowl a few handy overs of spin.

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"I am not too worried about the bowling" - Sanjay Manjrekar feels the SunRisers Hyderabad might need backups for Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi had an underwhelming run for the SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2023. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Sanjay Manjrekar was asked whether the SunRisers Hyderabad need to beef up their bowling, considering they have Washington Sundar as their frontline spinner, to which he responded:

"I am not too worried about the bowling because they have got enough with pace. T Natarajan, Umran Malik and Marco Jansen are there. There is enough spin with Mayank Markande and they have got Shahbaz Ahmed also now as an option."

The former India batter reckons the IPL 2016 champions might need a top-order backup for Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi. He said:

"What I would like to do, because they finished right at the bottom in the last season, is find people just in case Abhishek Sharma doesn't deliver at the top or Rahul Tripathi doesn't have a great IPL. You have got to have backups that will change their fortunes."

Manjrekar expressed hope that Mayank Agarwal bats at the top of the order for SRH. He concluded by opining that the franchise has a brilliant contingent of foreign players.