IPL 2024, KKR vs SRH: Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins set for an epic showdown
The IPL 2024 season will see Kolkata Knight Riders, led by Shreyas Iyer, take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in a battle featuring star pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
FollowShreyas Iyer's return after a lengthy injury hiatus takes center stage as the IPL kicks off with a high-profile clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This match marks the showdown between two of the league's most expensive signings, Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Iyer, who missed the entire previous season due to a back injury, makes a comeback to lead KKR. Despite his recent impressive performance in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy, his availability for all matches remains uncertain due to fitness concerns.
Under the guidance of mentor Gautam Gambhir and head coach Chandrakant Pandit, KKR has undergone strategic reinforcements while retaining its core team. Gambhir, who led KKR to significant success in the past, aims to rejuvenate the team's fortunes.
Starc's acquisition at a record price brings immense pressure on the left-arm quick to deliver. His performance in crucial phases of the game, particularly in the powerplay and death overs, will be pivotal for KKR. However, the team's pace bowling resources heavily rely on Starc and Andre Russell, highlighting the importance of managing their workload effectively.
KKR boasts a formidable batting lineup with the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Phil Salt, and Venkatesh Iyer alongside Shreyas and Russell. The team will look to capitalize on home conditions, offering support to spinners like Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.
On the other hand, SRH, led by Cummins, aims to bounce back from recent underwhelming performances. With key players like Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, SRH possesses batting firepower crucial for success in powerplay and death overs. The team's bowling unit, featuring Cummins and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, provides a balanced attack complemented by spin options like Washington Sundar and Wanindu Hasaranga, pending his availability due to an ICC ban.
While KKR appears as favourites on paper, SRH, under Cummins' astute leadership, presents a formidable challenge. The encounter promises an exciting start to the IPL season, with both teams eager to make a statement.
Squads:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana (vc), Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Sakib Hussain, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Angkrish, Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, KS Bharat, Phil Salt, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Dushmantha Chameera, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mitchell Starc, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Harshit Rana and Suyash Sharma.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav, Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.
