IPL 2021 preview: Can Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad overpower a lacklustre Rajasthan Royals?

The Indian Premier League 2021 is the 14th edition of the competitive Twenty20 league. Rajasthan Royals is a former champion but hasn't really clicked in the past decade. Sunrisers Hyderabad is a former champion but has been struggling since the IPL 2016 title win.

The 2021 Indian Premier League continues to entertain to the fullest as it enters its fourth week. Meanwhile, Match 28 would witness two former champions collide as Rajasthan Royals takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday.

Despite being former champions, the two sides have not been promising of late. Nonetheless, Sunday's showdown could begin a new streak for one of the sides as we present the match preview.

Current form
Both the sides have played six games each and have somewhat a similar story to tell. While RR has won just two, it is placed seventh with four losses. As for SRH, it has won just a game and has lost five, lurking at the bottom of the table.

Team combination
As for the teams, RR has a heavy bowling squad with equally capped departments. It is no secret that RR has the aridity of true batting talent. Nevertheless, wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler and skipper Snaju Samson could still turn the game around.

For SRH, it is the opposite, with enough batting talents on the side. Also, with equal capped recruits across departments, SRH does have a formidable batting squad and would produce an exciting contest with the RR bowlers. Furthermore, with new skipper Kane Williamson taking charge, things could drastically change for the Orange Army.

Injury concerns
RR has four injury concerns, with Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer already being ruled out, while Liam Livingstone and Andrew Tye have withdrawn owing to COVID concerns. As for SRH, pacer T Natarajan is missing out entirely due to a knee injury.

Head-to-head
In the 13 matches between the two, SRH has won seven, with RR winning six. As for the ten games in India, SRH leads 6-4, while the only game between the two in Delhi saw RR triumph.

Weather and pitch report
The Delhi weather would again be hot, with a temperature around 38 degrees and 24% humidity. As for the track, it would be lazy and get slow as the game progresses. Being an afternoon game might make the team winning the toss bat first, while any total around 170-180 would be competitive.

Probable XI
RR: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, David Miller, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag/Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat and Mustafizur Rahman.
SRH: Kane Williamson (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey, David Warner/Jason Holder, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Jagadeesha Suchith, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma/Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Fantasy XI
Batsmen: Warner, Pandey, Jaiswal- Warner is sure to give an explosive start, followed by Jaiswal at number three/four, while Psndey can consolidate in the middle.
Wicketkeepers: Buttler, Bairstow, Samson (vc)- Buttler is also a favourite to give an excitable start along with Warner, while Bairstow can score at number three or four. As for Samson, he could come early in the middle and stabilise the innings, while his consistency makes him the deputy skipper.
All-rounders: Morris (c)- He is the only man in the department who has been delivering through his pace bowling and can contribute with the bat when needed. His reliability makes him the captain.
Bowlers: Kaul, Rashid, Khaleel, Sakariya- Rashid is a no-brainer owing to his ever-green lethal spins. While Khaleel and Sakariya are sure to dominate with their pace, Kaul can be the surprise package with his fast bowling.

Match details
Date and day: May 2, 2021 (Sunday)
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Time: 3.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (Also available in HD, along with regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar

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