This is a massive game for both Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT), albeit  for different reasons. GT will be eager to bounce back after a disappointing loss to the  Rajasthan Royals in their previous outing. On the other hand, SRH have not had a great  campaign and will be looking to win as many games as possible. They are not out of the  race yet. If there’s any team capable of stringing together a late surge, it’s them. They’ve  gained some momentum with a win in their last match, and they’ll be looking to build on  that as they push for a strong finish. 

SRH have had a bit of a break — I believe they even took a trip to the Maldives — so it’s  been a good opportunity to refresh, reset, and gear up mentally for what promises to be a  crucial couple of weeks ahead. Naturally, a lot of the spotlight has been on SRH’s batting.  Last year, they were phenomenal with the bat, setting the standard. But this season,  they’ve struggled to hit those same heights. That said, I see this clash vs GT as a real  chance for them to turn things around. 

SRH will need their batters to step up — that goes without saying. But for me, the real key  lies in their bowling. I am quite excited to see the matchup between GT’s top three vs the  SRH bowlers. GT’s top three have been in sensational form throughout the tournament. In  almost every game, at least one of them has anchored the innings well into the 17th or 18th  over. They’ve been the backbone of GT’s batting success. 

That’s where SRH’s bowling attack comes in. They’ve got genuine, international-quality  firepower — and if there’s any bowling unit that can disrupt that top order, it’s this one. 

For me, it must be Mohammad Shami and Pat Cummins opening the bowling. There were  encouraging signs from Shami in the last match — he seemed to be rediscovering some of  that trademark swing, rhythm, and confidence. That bodes well for SRH. 

But beyond the bowling itself, I think Cummins’ captaincy will be vital. In the powerplay, he  needs to adopt an ultra-attacking mindset — almost to the point where it feels aggressive  by design. They must take early wickets. It’s the only way to disrupt Gujarat’s top-heavy  batting order and apply real pressure from the outset. 

Throughout the season so far, at least one of the GT top three has carried the innings deep consistently. We’ve not seen a situation where their top order has failed collectively. As a  result, their middle order is relatively undercooked — short on time in the middle and

lacking a bit in both form and confidence. That, to me, is the key. If SRH can break through  early, they’ll expose that vulnerability and give themselves a real chance to take control. 

Can Pat Cummins and SRH afford to over-attack? I think they must. That means setting  aggressive fields, putting pressure right from ball one, and maybe even rethinking their  bowling rotations. 

It might be worth pushing an extra over from either Cummins or Shami early on — even if  the original plan was to pull them off after one or two overs. Sometimes, that extra over in  the powerplay is exactly what’s needed to grab a breakthrough and disrupt Gujarat’s top  order before they settle in. 

These early overs could well decide the outcome. For SRH, it’s all about intent — bold  captaincy, smart matchups, and getting wickets upfront. 

When you look at SRH’s batting, it’s clear they have two of the very best in the business.  While we’ve only seen flashes of brilliance so far — like Abhishek Sharma’s stunning  century — there’s a sense that something big is brewing. 

Travis Head feels like he’s just simmering under the surface. You get the impression that a  match-winning performance is right around the corner. He doesn’t seem like the kind of  player who overthinks or lets form weigh him down — and that makes him even more dangerous. Head will stick to his natural game — he backs himself completely, and that  self-belief is what makes him so effective. He’s confident he can replicate those big  performances, no matter the situation. 

As for Abhishek, his dismissal in the last game raised a few questions. Being tamely caught  at cover felt like a lapse in concentration — almost as if he was anticipating a delivery that  wasn’t there, rather than watching the ball closely and reacting to it. That said, there’s no  denying his quality. He’s a genuinely destructive batter, and when he gets it right, he can  change the game in a matter of overs. 

I just get the sense that if Abhishek watched the ball a touch longer, allowed himself that  extra fraction of a second, his natural shot-making instincts would take over more  effectively. It really wouldn’t take much for things to click — that’s been my impression  watching him throughout this tournament. 

Heinrich Klaasen higher up the order is absolutely the right move. I’ve been advocating for  that for some time. The spinners tend to operate between overs 6 and 15, and that’s  precisely when you want someone like Klaasen at the crease — right in the thick of it, 

where his ability to take on spin can have the most impact. He’s arguably one of the best  players of spin in the world — if not the best. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy, I completely agree  — dropping him down the order in the last game took some pressure off and allowed him  to finish the innings strongly in a composed partnership. 

I thought several of the tactical calls in that game were smart and well-judged. Now, with  those adjustments in place, that top order certainly feels like it’s due for a big  performance. 

Looking at GT, they’ll be eager to bounce back after the disappointment against RR. Their  batting, once again, looked solid — I honestly can’t praise it enough. They’ve been clever,  astute, and street-smart in their approach, adapting well to the conditions, and the top  order has consistently delivered. But of course, there’s always that lingering question:  what happens if the top order doesn’t fire? 

Watching GT bowling against Royals, I have to say it was an extraordinary evening. Vaibhav  Suryavanshi played a sensational knock, alongside Yaashasvi Jaiswal. They together were  simply brilliant, taking the wind out of GT’s sails, something we haven’t seen happen all  season. However, I did feel that GT’s bowlers lacked a bit of variety in the lengths they  bowled. They seemed somewhat predictable, which allowed the batters to settle into a  rhythm and take control. 

They bowled a lot of good-length deliveries, which is understandable given the pressure  when two aggressive players are coming at you. However, I think it’s something GT will  need to review and adjust ahead of this match. 

Also, that dropped catch was a pivotal moment. As much as we focus on the battle  between batting and bowling, games often come down to key moments in the field. Both  teams will be aiming to be at their very best, knowing how crucial those moments can be. 

I think they’ll likely stick with Karim Janat for now, but it’s unclear whether Sherfane Rutherford is fit or not. If he is, he could be a valuable addition — either as an impact sub or  straight into the playing XI. There’s also a potential injury concern for GT with Shubman  Gill, and if he’s unavailable, it would significantly weaken their batting lineup. 

That said, I don’t think the loss to Rajasthan Royals will have a negative impact on this  group. They’re well-led, with an excellent coach and management team, so I’m confident  they’ll bounce back without it affecting their confidence.

GT don’t strike me as a team that will panic after that loss. They have the experience and  leadership to bounce back quickly. However, when you look at SRH, who’ve been  struggling themselves, this might be a good moment for them to regroup, get into gear, and  make a strong push for the rest of the tournament. 

Playing GT at home may not seem like the ideal scenario — after all, they’re such a strong  side with a deep understanding of their conditions. But timing-wise, this could be one of  the better moments for SRH to face them. Let’s not forget that both Cummins and Head  are returning to the ground with fond memories, having won the ODI World Cup here in  Ahmedabad in 2023. Sometimes, those past triumphs can make a difference, especially  when you’re not in your best form. 

It will be interesting to see which pitch they play on, as they have the option of a red soil  pitch, which offers more pace and bounce, or a black soil pitch, which provides less pace  and bounce. 

Personally, like many others, I had SRH in my final four. Given the quality of resources and  players they have, I thought they were a definite contender. The real danger, though, is  writing them off completely just because they’ve been below par so far. 

They’ve still got about five games left, and if they can string together a winning run, they  absolutely can make a comeback. I’m keen to see how they perform moving forward — they have the talent, now it’s about execution. Let’s see how it unfolds.