SRH vs MI: Pitch report of Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium
What's the story
The Sunrisers Hyderabad will host Mumbai Indians in match number 7 of IPL 2018. The two sides have locked horns on 10 occasions, with Mumbai and Hyderabad both winning 5 each. However, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, the Sunrisers boast a 3-2 win record. Here is our statistical preview and pitch report.
Demolisher
Shikhar Dhawan is Mumbai's biggest threat
The Mumbai Indians will have to be wary about Sunrisers' opener Shikhar Dhawan. The southpaw has scored 536 against the defending champions in the IPL. This is the third most runs by any player against the Mumbai Indians in the cash-rich tournament. Dhawan averages 44.66 against the Blue brigade with 4 fifties, all of which have come while playing for SRH.
Tightly fought
Stat Attack: Highest and lowest totals
The Sunrisers' highest total against Mumbai Indians at this venue is 157/3 while Mumbai's best score is 160/3. The lowest total by the Sunrises against Mumbai in Hyderabad is 113 and Mumbai's lowest score is 129/4. David Warner's 90* run-knock is the highest individual score against Mumbai and 68-run unbeaten knock by Lendl Simmons is the highest by a Mumbai batsman against SRH.
Data
Milestones than can be reached
Ishan Kishan is just short of 41 runs to complete 1,000 runs in IPL. Shakib Al Hasan is shy of 20 runs to reach the 4,000 run landmark in Twenty20. He needs four more wickets to reach 300 wickets in the shortest format.
Chained
Sunrisers have tamed the dangerous Rohit Sharma
There is no denying that Rohit is one of the most dangerous batsmen in IPL. His record (4,222 runs at an average of 32.47) is a testament to that. However, Sunrisers have found a way to tame the Mumbai beast. Rohit has scored 169 runs in 10 innings against SRH at an average of 24.14 with 67 of those coming in the last meeting.
Predator
Mumbai Indians make Bhuvi blood thirsty
Last edition's Purple Cap winner Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the Mumbai Indians' biggest nemesis. If they had the option to buy him, Mrs. Nita Ambani would have bought him. The Indian national team pacer averages 13.75 against the three-time IPL champions. In 12 games against them, Bhuvi has bagged 16 wickets and conceded runs at just 5.64 per over.
Key battles
Personal hurdles in this high octane fixture
Rohit has scored 82 runs off 60 balls at a strike rate of 136.67 against Shakib without getting dismissed. Rohit has scored the most runs against Shakib than any other player. However, Rohit Sharma has been dismissed by Sandeep Sharma twice in just 19 balls. Big-hitting Kieron Pollard has been dismissed thrice in 12 balls in the IPL by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Average score
Pitch favours both batsmen and bowlers
The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International cricket stadium tends to favour seamers in the opening overs of the game, which means the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar could run riot in the powerplay. However, it tends to slow down in the latter half of the game and we could see some pinch-hitting in the final few overs.