IPL 2023, SRH vs RR: Bhuvneshwar Kumar elects to bowl
What's the story
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are kick-starting their respective campaigns in Match 4 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). Both sides are eyeing their second title and would like to make a winning start. Notably, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is leading SRH in the contest in Aiden Markram's absence. Meanwhile, SRH skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the toss and elected to bowl.
Details
Pitch report, timing, and broadcast details
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad will host the duel on Sunday (April 2). The track here generally favors the batters as the average run rate of teams batting first here reads 7.88. Teams chasing have won 61 of the 109 T20s played here. While Star Sports Network would provide the live telecast (3:30 PM IST), Viacom18 and JioCinema hold the streaming rights.
Information
Here is the head-to-head record
The head-to-head record can't differentiate the two sides as they own eight victories apiece against each other in 16 meetings. The two sides met once last season and RR claimed a 61-run triumph. Skipper Sanju Samson (55) and Yuzvendra Chahal (3/22) starred for RR.
Stats
Here are the key performers
Bhuvneshwar boasts 57 powerplay wickets in IPL. No other bowler has scalped more wickets in this phase. Umran Malik finished as the fourth-highest wicket-taker last season (22 wickets). Jos Buttler scored 863 runs in IPL 2022, the second-most for any player in a season. Chahal won the Purple Cap last season as he led the wickets column, scalping 27 dismissals in 17 matches.
XIs
Here are the two teams
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper/captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Trent Boult, KM Asif, Yuzvendra Chahal Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips (wicket-keeper), Umran Malik, Adil Rashid, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (captain), T Natarajan, Fazalhaq Farooqi