SRH and GT: Two most underrated teams who have performed with flying colors

The ongoing edition of the IPL 2022 has seen all the 10 participating teams give each other a run for their money in the gruelling two-month long tournament. While two of the most successful sides Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings are languishing at the bottom of the points table this time around, it has given an opportunity for other sides to prove what they are capable of.

Surprisingly, the two teams who were hardly given any chances occupy the top spots after the first half of the competition and they happen to be the new entrants Gujarat Titans and the 2016 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.

Here’s how SRH and GT have impressed in IPL 2022

Gujarat Titans have been on a roll this season. They have been the most consistent and dominant sides so far having won six of their seven matches. Their only defeat came against the Orange Army where they went down by eight wickets. Both the Titans’ bowlers and batters have clicked well as a unit in all the games, especially skipper Hardik Pandya who has led outstandingly well from the front as a leader.

He has so far amassed 295 runs from six matches at an impressive strike rate of 136.57 and has announced his arrival back to competitive cricket in style. An injury had forced him to miss the game against the defending champions CSK where Rashid Khan-led GT in his absence. The Titans came out on top in that contest by three wickets in a last-over thriller. Gujarat Titans are the table-toppers with 12 points to their tally at an NRR of +0.396.

Meanwhile, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have taken everyone by surprise. At one point they had hit rock bottom after suffering a heavy 61-run loss to Rajasthan Royals and then going down to the Lucknow Super Giants by 12 runs. They were not expected to pose much challenge from the position they were in but a spirited unit led by the talismanic Kane Williamson staged a remarkable turnaround.

Since then, there has been no looking back for the Orange Army and they are enjoying their winning momentum, having won five straight matches. Just like Gujarat, Hyderabad have also clicked well as a unit in both batting and bowling and have gone on to register one-sided wins against their opponents especially RCB who they decimated by nine wickets after having dismissed them for a paltry 68.

The former champions currently occupy the second position in the IPL 2022 points table with five victories from seven outings and 10 points to their tally at a superior net run rate of +0.691