SRH Team Preview: Are Warner and Co The Team To Beat in IPL 2021?
2016 IPL champions Sunrisers Hyderabad are perhaps the team to beat alongside Mumbai Indians this time around. Although they might not boast of the same batting unit their contenders boast of, their bowling attack is arguably the best in the competition. Boasting Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sunrisers will bank on their bowling attack to deliver the goods. But don't take them for granted with the bat! They've got multiple-time Orange Cap winner in David Warber and star overseas batsman Kane Williamson, who we will talk in detail about in the coming sections. To get your day off to a flyer in the Market, here's some much-needed insight on Sunrisers Hyderabad!Team Insight: Sunrisers Hyderabad have a wealth of stars on their side. Apart from a select few like captain David Warner and Rashid Khan, all other spots have healthy competition, cultivating in a high-performance environment. While their top-order looks fairly solid, all eyes will be on who takes up the second overseas spot in the batting unit - Bairstow or Williamson. Similarly, there's a fight for a spot in the bowling attack as well although SRH wouldn't mind having pleasant selection headaches at all.Strongest Possible XI*: Warner (c), Bairstow (wk), Manish, Williamson, Shankar, Jadhav, Samad, Rashid, Bhuvneshwar, Sandeep and NatarajanPlayers To Watch Out For:David Warner (57.70 Sixer Coins): Who else but David Warner? Warner has become so synonymous with the Sunrisers that he has become a cult hero in the South. While his antics in social media are a breath of fresh air, his batting is straight out of the top drawer. He is one of the most consistent players in the IPL with his record speaking for himself. He even owns a couple of Orange Caps and if he were to get going early on in the tournament, there's no telling as to how high his fantasy stock price can soar in the Sixer Market!Rashid Khan (70.80 Sixer Coins): If Warner leads from the front with the bat, it's all Rashid Khan with the ball. The Afghan wizard is perhaps the best T20 bowler in the world and his fantasy stock price conveys the same. Not just that, Rashid was one of the standout bowlers in last year's IPL as well. He registered 14 50+ match scores, second to none, in IPL 2020 with his price peaking at 82 Sixer Coins per Share! With Rashid's batting ability also coming into the equation, he is set for another big season for the Sunrisers!Kane Williamson (52.00 Sixer Coins): Although Kane Williamson's place in the Sunrisers side is a question mark, no one can deny his quality. His knocks in the playoffs last year might hand him the edge over Bairstow. Although he is on a decline in the Sixer Market, one cannot take Williamson for granted in any format. An Orange Cap winner himself, Williamson will look to play his part in the middle order and ensure a successful campaign for both his team and his fantasy shareholders in the Sixer Market!Mujeeb ur Rehman (57.20 Sixer Coins): Sunrisers didn't spend big in the IPL Auction. But they sure bought some talented players with Mujeeb ur Rehman being one of them. The Afghan office is a one-of-a-kind bowler who can get the ball to turn both ways. His ball to Virat Kohli in IPL 2018 is still fresh in everyone's minds and holds him in good stead as well. With a few matches being played in Chennai as far as SRH is concerned, they could go for the kill by fielding both Rashid and Mujeeb in tandem. If they do insist on it, SRH will be a true force to reckon with in the competition.With multiple combinations possible within the roster itself, Sunrisers Hyderabad are contenders for the IPL trophy this year. Apart from the regulars, they have the likes of Jason Roy and Jason Holder waiting on the wings, which holds SRH in high regards. Watch out for Abdul Samad in the SRH middle-order, with a lot being expected of the youngster in the Sixer Market this season!* - This is the author's opinion and has nothing to do with Sixer. The side may or may not be the final XI.