After losing in the final of the 2024 IPL to the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to return to the IPL in the hope that they will be able to land a first IPL title since 2016.
The Sunrisers 2024 campaign was a special one. Having finished bottom of the table in 2023, the acquisition of Australia Captain Pat Cummins seemed to be an inspired one, as Cummins alongside teammate Travis Head and the South African duo of Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram were able to finish second in the overall standings and reach the final.
Despite all of their progress, the Sunrisers failed to grasp the occasion and sadly played their worst cricket in the final and fell to a heavy eight wicket defeat to the Knight Riders. Able to maintain the bulk of their squad for this year’s tournament, they will start the IPL as the second favourites for victory and many believe that this year they could go one step better than last year’s memorable campaign.
Who are the Sunrisers?
The Sunrisers were founded back in 2013 and took their place in the IPL, due to the collapse of the Deccan Chargers. Inheriting much of the Chargers playing staff, it wasn’t until David Warner took the reins as captain in 2015 that the Sunrisers IPL fortunes started to change.
Showing signs of life in 2015 that the Sunrisers had what it took to compete and beat the best teams in the IPL, the Sunrisers greatest moment to date came in 2016 when they beat RCB in the final.
Unable to back up that victory with another win, since then the Sunrisers have often been one of the best teams in the IPL and have made the playoffs on several occasions and once again they look primed for another deep run.
Owned by the Sun TV network, the Sunrisers have plenty of resources available to them and it’s a key reason why so many of their star players have been retained for another crack at glory this season.
Where do the Sunrisers play?
The Sunrisers currently play their home games at the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Ground. Another of India’s most intimate grounds, it has hosted India across a plethora of formats and can squeeze 40,000 fans into its grounds.
A ground of some repute, the stadium has hosted two IPL finals and was also used as part of the 2023 World Cup.
Nobody was more effective at home in last year’s IPL than the Sunrisers and the team's home form was a huge reason behind why the team were able to reach the 2024 IPL final.
If the team is to go one place better this time around, the team will want to make their home form just as strong. A tough place for rival teams to come and play, if the Sunrisers play well at home, expect them to go deep into the tournament.
Who will the Sunrisers be playing this year?
Each of the teams in this year’s IPL will play fourteen matches in the initial league phase.
With the ten teams in the tournament being placed in two separate groups, the Sunrisers are in Group B and will play against the Delhi Capitals, Gujurat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and the Mumbai Indians twice.
They will also play the defending champions the Kolkata Knight Riders twice and the Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals and RCB once.
There are no easy games in the IPL, but the Sunrisers will be confident of winning enough games to qualify for another tilt at the IPL title.
Who are the stars of the Sunrisers Hyderabad?
Times in the IPL are changing, whereas once the most prized players were those who are able to bludgeon the ball a mile, in recent years there has been an increased focus on wicket taking and it’s fair to say that few take wickets better than Pat Cummins.
The Australian has broken the mould by becoming one of the only captains to bowl and make decisions, but it’s fair to say that few do it better than the Australian. Having helped Australia rise to be one of the best test playing nations in the world, he will go down in Australian cricket folklore after having guided the Australians to 2023 World Cup success.
Bought by the Sunrisers at the start of the 2024 IPL campaign to get their fortunes back on track, Cummins has been worth every penny and he is a major reason behind the Sunrisers recent success. However, just like Jasprit Bumrah for the Mumbai Indians, there are worries over Cummins’ fitness and whether he will take to the field to begin the Sunrisers 2025 remains very much up in the air.
If unable to participate immediately, he will be a big loss to the team and they will hope that he will be able to return and make the difference.
Whilst Cummins has fitness doubts, one Australian who will be ready to go is Travis Head. A late bloomer, Head has risen to the very top of the batting charts in recent seasons and is a huge reason behind Australia’s success across all formats.
A devastating hitter, alongside Abishek Sharma, the two are one of the most formidable opening pairings in the IPL and when they are finding the boundary, any sort of total can be reached.
Head enjoyed his best IPL career to date last year and will hope to surpass those achievements this year.
If Head falls early in an innings or provides a platform for others to follow, one man that the Sunrisers will be relying on is Heinrich Klaasen.
Klaasen has helped South Africa turn into a formidable white ball outfit and he has brought those skills into the IPL. Able to keep wicket, few can rack up a big score as quickly as Klaasen and if he can get going, few will be able to stand in his way.
What do the bookmakers say, and what is our verdict?
If Pat Cummins was heading into the IPL 100% fit, you could make a case for the Sunrisers to be the outright favourite for IPL glory, however with question marks over his fitness it’s easy to see why the Sunrisers are currently tied for second in the betting.
The one area that makes them so formidable is how powerful they are throughout their batting lineup.
Both Travis Head and Abishek Sharma can get the team off to a great start and if that isn’t enough both Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen add a touch of class. Last year the Sunrisers set all sorts of batting records and they look poised to do so once again this time around.
For us, it would take a great team to be able to beat the Sunrisers and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were to go all the way this year.
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Tom Gibson
Tom Gibson, 33, possesses a keen interest in cricket combined with expertise in betting. Based in Newcastle, he is well-acquainted with the dynamics of the game and the betting world. With numerous years analyzing cricket matches and odds, Tom offers a unique perspective on the intersection of the sport and betting strategies