CHANDIGARH: Sticking to a tried-and-tested formula has been one strategic philosophy that SunRisers Hyderabad have adhered to since their IPL inception; a mantra clearly evidenced by their retaining of 13 players from last year, the most for any team. They did lose the services of one man even before they set foot on the field; a man whose absence was construed by many as a bruising haymaker for the SunRisers’ team combination. David Warner, after all, singlehandedly lugged them to the trophy in 2016. He had been blasting a fifty in almost every two games over the last three years, at a strike-rate of 149.59. Both pundits and fans alike wondered whether SunRisers might resort to Alex Hales to plug their Warnershaped hole in the top-order. But the Orange Army thrives on familiarity — Hales is yet to make his IPL debut — and hence decided otherwise.
Shikhar Dhawan — once Warner’s sheet-anchoring lieutenant (his strike-rate in that period was 122.18) — was handed the Australian’s mantle of go-to obliterator. That the southpaw has been showcasing his ability to floor the pedal since last July in the international arena (he has notched up 468 runs in T20Is since then, at a strike-rate of 145.79) may have ostensibly catalysed this promotion. Kane Williamson was appointed as the grafting-in-charge at one-down, a role in which he had excelled last year. A safety net in the form of Wriddhiman Saha was installed up front.
The “aggressor- holder-accumulator” combination that had been once propelled the Orange juggernaut had again been resurrected, and the results showed instantly. After their bowling attack had pounded Rajasthan Royals into submission, SunRisers’ topthree spurred into action. Though the safety net didn’t hold (Saha was dismissed for 5), the destroyer razed his way to an unbeaten 57-ball 77, while the grafter conjured up a 35-ball 36. A nine-wicket demolition job had been carried out without breaking a sweat. Dhawan again howitzered to 45 from 28 balls against Mumbai Indians, with Saha proving an able foil with a 20-ball 22.
Though Williamson spluttered this time around, the top-two had swooshed enough wind into the SunRisers’ sails to see their nowstrong middle-order (a luxury that they haven’t had over the past) finish the job. A one-wicket win still counts as a win. Though Dhawan’s kamikaze run against Kolkata Knight Riders backfired (7-ball 7), Saha and Williamson came through for Sun- Risers. A quick start came courtesy a 15- ball 24 from the stumper, and the Kiwi then nurdled his men to their third victory with a 44-ball 50. Three trials and three successful outcomes.
Head coach Tom Moody stressed that rather than forcefitting players into slots, the aforementioned replication has been implemented by backing their natural strengths. “The message I have given to our top-order is to just play their natural game. There is no point in anyone going out there and trying to play like Warner. Everyone has their own style, and it’s important that they play the way they play at their best. We have a different top-order than what we had for previous years, but we also have a different depthin our line-up.”