IPL 2018: Match 28, Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Toss Report

Sunrisers Hyderabad won  the toss and decided to bat first against Rajasthan Royals in the twenty-eighth match of the Indian Premier League at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Here is what the captains said:

Kane Williamson:

“We are gonna have a bat. Very good surface. Just the one change. Hales comes in for Nabi. The way we have adapted to the conditions has been superb.”

Ajinkya Rahane:

“We had a couple of days off. It is important to switch off a bit. The preparation has been fantastic and the mood in the camp has been superb. Ish Sodhi is in. Very good leg-spinner and has been doing well for New Zealand. Mahipal Lomror, a local guy who has been doing well comes in as well. We were looking to bat first as well.”

Preview:

The last time these two teams locked horns in this season, it turned out to be a no contest. The Hyderabad-based outfit had crushed the Royals by nine wickets to start their season on a high note. And seven games into the season, both the teams have pretty much performed on the reputation that they built in their season-opener.

The Royals have not managed to deliver on a consistent basis and it is aptly reflected on the points table where they stand fifth with three wins and as many losses. Despite having the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes and some other big names, the Royals are yet to perform as per expectations.

On the other hand, Sunrisers were quick to bounce back after suffering two consecutive defeats. In their last two games, they defended 118 and 132 against Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab respectively. Going by the current form, Hyderabad will fancy their chances. Another win will put the Kane Williamson-led side on the verge of playoffs.

On the other hand, Royals will have to win the game to keep pace with the other teams. A loss can very much derail their campaign at this stage. The hosts will be looking to exploit Sunrisers’ fragile batting lineup and will be hoping their batsmen turn up against the quality batting lineup.

Playing elevens:

Sunrisers Hyderabad:

 Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Rashid Khan, Basil Thampi, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Rajasthan Royals:

Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Mahipal Lomror, Jaydev Unadkat, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ish Sodhi