Can SRH find their next-level game? | IPL 2020 Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals: SWOT Analysis

The Sunrisers Hyderabad face the Rajasthan Royals in match 26 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Here's the analysis:

The SWOT for SRH

Strengths: SRH’s batting has slowly become stronger. Jonny Bairstow has three fifties, David Warner has two fifties and Kane Williamson has one fifty. With youngsters providing some spark down the order, the SRH batters have reached a better place.

Weaknesses: The middle-order after Williamson is inexperienced. In a crunch, they've surrendered meekly. They need a reliable lower-order player of the Yusuf Pathan variety.

Opportunities: Bairstow and Warner need to keep the partnership going. In 2019, they were the best openers in the league. Can they find that rhythm again?

Threats: It's David Warner versus Steve Smith. Do they know enough about each other to play some mind games? A trick or two up the sleeve would be handy for one to neutralise the other.

The SWOT for RR

Strengths: RR have experienced internationals like Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and David Miller. With the team in a lurch, can they come together and click? It's now or never.

Weaknesses: The RR batting strength has fallen away. Buttler hasn’t lived up to his best and the early form of Smith and Sanju Samson seems to have faded. The middle-order is also weak. There is an urgent need to find some solutions.

Opportunities: A rusty Stokes needs to jump in and make merry. He has the chance to make a grand return and an instant impact.

Threats: Can they afford to lose any more matches? The play-off hopes are hanging by a thread.

Head to head:

Matches played: 11

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 6

Rajasthan Royals: 5

Last five matches (most recent first):

Sunrisers Hyderabad: W-L-W-W-L

Rajasthan Royals: L-L-L-L-W

Deccan Herald’s Dream XI

David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Rahul Tewatia, Shreyas Gopal, T Natarajan, Khaleel Ahmed, Kartik Tyagi

Ground conditions

The temperature will be around 37 degrees celsius with hazy sunshine. The humidity should be about 38%.

Team news

No injuries reported from either side. Stokes is out of quarantine but will Smith toss him in right away?

Impact Player for SRH

Rashid Khan: After a slow start to the season, he's back among the wickets. He is SRH’s leading wicket-taker with eight scalps at an average of 14.50 and an economy of 4.83. In the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid needs to shoulder the responsibility of getting wickets when it matters.

Impact Player for RR

Jofra Archer: The England pacer has got eight wickets at an average of 20.75 and an economy of 6.91. He is not yet at his best. His aggressive bowling early on can prevent Warner and Bairstow from going big.

How to watch

The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network. Viewers can also catch the action online on Disney+Hotstar. The match begins at 3:30 PM IST.