SRH vs RR Preview – Royals face the ultimate batting powerhouse challenge

Previous edition finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to lock horns with inaugural edition champions, Rajasthan Royals for Match No. 2 of the grand Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday, March 23. Notably, this will be the first-afternoon game of the 18th season.

SRH will be led by Australian pacer Pat Cummins, as they will be eager to get the job done this time around after narrowly missing out on the title in 2024. Their batting once again looks very strong, with the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and newly-acquired Ishan Kishan forming a strong top order. However, their bowling attack lacks depth with only Cummins and Mohammed Shami in the forefront.

Meanwhile, RR faces a minor setback, with captain Sanju Samson yet to fully recover from a finger injury. While he will play as a batter, Riyan Parag will lead the side, and Dhruv Jurel is set to don the gloves. The Royals have a solid Indian batting core featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Parag, and Nitish Rana, but a lack of all-rounders could be a challenge.

Pitch Report

The pitch at Hyderabad is usually a good one to bat. There is not much help for the bowlers and batters have enjoyed the true nature of the pitches with good carry and bounce. It is a day match, so as the game progresses, spinners might come into play, but it is likely to be minimal, and can be another run-fest. Also, boundaries are pretty short which makes it a ground for the big hitters from both sides.

Probable Playing XI

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Abhinav Manohar, Wiaan Mulder, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Mohammed Shami

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (C), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande