In 2024, SRH had a successful season, reaching their first final after a six-year gap. They began strong with five victories in their first seven matches. Adding to their tally were three more wins and one abandoned match, resulting in them being tied on 17 points with Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the group stage. However, SRH secured second place due to a superior net run rate. Despite losing to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 1, they bounced back with a victory against RR in Qualifier 2 to secure their spot in the final. Unfortunately, they faced defeat once again at the hands of KKR in the final match.
What updates can we expect for 2025?
Last season, SRH dominated the IPL with their fierce batting style, scoring over 250 runs on three occasions and even breaking the record for the highest total in IPL history – an impressive 287 for 3 against RCB. With key players such as Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nitish Kumar Reddy remaining in their line-up and Ishan Kishan being acquired during the auction, it is unlikely that SRH will deviate from their successful formula.
Despite boasting a strong top five, SRH lacks local batting depth. Aniket Verma is a newcomer, Abhinav Manohar only played two games in 2024, and Sachin Baby has not been seen in the IPL since 2021. As captain Pat Cummins and overseas players Head and Klaasen are confirmed, SRH may consider adding Kamindu Mendis to strengthen their line-up.
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Despite SRH bringing back Cummins and Unadkat, their bowling line-up for 2025 will have a fresh look. Along with Cummins and Unadkat, they now have the addition of Shami, Patel and Chahar. It is likely that Shami will lead the attack with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been a key player for them since 2014, no longer part of the team. When it comes to overseas options, SRH has the choice between Zampa and allrounder Mulder. Additionally, Reddy, Abhishek, Head and Kamindu may also contribute with some overs.
The most probable top twelve.
1 Travis Head*, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen*, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Captain Pat Cummins*, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Mohammed Shami, and 12 Adam Zampa* make up the starting lineup for this match.
Be on the lookout for
Abhishek and Head were a dynamic force last season, pushing the boundaries of maximizing the powerplay. Unfortunately, their performance fell short in the final four games, only adding 15 runs between them. Nevertheless, if they can replicate their explosive starts in at least half of their matches this season, opposing teams will struggle to contain them.
During the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons, Mohammed Shami was a dominant force in the powerplay, taking 28 wickets with an outstanding average of 21.25 and an economy of 7.08. Unfortunately, a severe ankle injury led to him undergoing surgery and missing over a year of cricket. However, with his recent return, Shami has already made an impact by securing two wickets in four T20s. Furthermore, he demonstrated his fitness and skill by claiming nine wickets in just 41 overs during the Champions Trophy. As long as he remains healthy and continues to excel with the new ball, SRH can rely on Shami’s ability to fill Bhuvneshwar’s absence effectively.
Vital numbers
Following his ankle surgery, Shami has been back on the field and has proven to be a valuable asset for both Bengal and India in 11 T20 matches. Within these games, he has impressively taken a total of 14 wickets with an average of 23.50 and an economy rate of 8.02.
In his last 28 games since IPL 2024, Abhishek Sharma boasts a strike rate of 200.86 and has notched up three centuries, two of which were achieved in his most recent six matches.
After sitting out of the Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury, Cummins has resumed bowling. Fortunately, he was able to recover without surgery and went through rehabilitation instead. His only T20 appearance since then was in last year’s MLC final in July. Australia is now counting on his fitness as they head into the WTC final and a Test series in the West Indies after the IPL.
During England’s tour of India before the Champions Trophy, Brydon Carse suffered an injury to his left toe. As a result, SRH enlisted Mulder as his substitute.
