Sunrisers Hyderabad have always punched above their weight when it comes to the Indian Premier League. In 2016, led by the inspirational David Warner, they stormed to their first title. In IPL 2020, they are once again expected to make a mark but there are several challenges facing them. The team has many bases covered when it comes to the batting and bowling. With Warner once again assuming the captaincy of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, they will be looking to get their campaign off to a great start and stake a claim for the trophy. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the team

Strengths

The opening combination – David Warner and Jonny Bairstow were in magnificent form in IPL 2019. Warner amassed 692 runs in 12 matches, with eight half-centuries and a ton while Bairstow scored 445 runs in 10 games, notching up two fifties and a century. It was the opening combination that allowed Sunrisers Hyderabad to qualify for the final but once the two players left for World Cup duties, the side was deflated.

Spin attack – Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Shahbaz Nadeem. Looking at the conditions in the UAE, the spin bowling department is Sunrisers Hyderabad’s biggest forte. Rashid Khan has shown his class over and over again in IPL while Mohammad Nabi was in superb form for the St Lucia Zouks in the recently-concluded CPL 2020. Shahbaz Nadeem has impressed in the domestic circuit last year and he might be one of the unsung heroes in IPL 2020 for the side.

Weaknesses

Lack of depth in the batting – This is probably one problem area for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. If Warner and Bairstow fail, they have the services of Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson. But, with potentially one overseas slot in the team, Williamson might not fit in. The likes of Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Under-19 captain Priyam Garg are too inexperienced and this might hurt Sunrisers Hyderabad. Vijay Shankar is in the side but his power-hitting has been called into question sometimes.

Rusty bowling line-up – In IPL 2016, the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers were the key in delivering the title. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul nailed yorkers at will in the death overs. However, Bhuvneshwar is coming off a lengthy injury and coronavirus layoff while Kaul has not been in good form in the last couple of seasons. With the pace bowling looking slightly shaky, the powerplay situation for Sunrisers Hyderabad might worry Warner and team.

Sunrisers Hyderabad squad

David Warner (c), Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Shreevats Goswami, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mitchell Marsh, Abhishek Sharma, Bavanaka Sandeep, Sanjay Yadav, Fabian Allen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KhaleelAhmed, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Siddharth Kaul, Billy Stanlake, TNatarajan, Basil Thampi.

Sunrisers Hyderabad likely Playing XI

David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Priyam Garg, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shahbaz Nadeem, Siddarth Kaul