It’s pretty much established that IPL is ‘the’ pinnacle of league cricket. No competition comes close to delivering the high level of competition and the associated drama that comes with it. With the stakes so high, maintaining the consistency for any team in delivering successful performances each year is a herculean task.
Very few teams can be named which have achieved this consistency. Sunrisers Hyderabad is also one team, that over the years has earned that reputation and has been a regular face in the playoffs alongside the stalwarts like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. But like how good times come to an end, SRH too saw the fall in their performance in this year’s ‘to be continued IPL’ and which surely has shocked its fans.
The fall from the highs:
A regular name in the playoffs for the last 5 editions, SRH is regarded as a powerhouse and probably the 2nd most well-balanced team (after MI) when considering the two main departments i.e., batting and bowling. Known for its economical spells(credit to spin wizard Rashid Khan and quality pacers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandip Sharma) and batting powerhouses like David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and Kane Williamson, SRH at the end of the first half of IPL 2021 found themselves amidst all things wrong. Currently, at the bottom of the points table, SRH has managed to have won only one out of the seven matches they were able to play.
The out of form key performers, poor management decisions due to which not only the regular captain David Warner saw himself being removed from the captainship role but also the playing 11 in the last match (before the covid outbreak in India), and overall slumped off shoulders of the team throughout the season, proved to be a nightmare for the team and its fans. So, let’s see what exactly happened with “the half-season” of SRH and what could have led to the mess they currently are in.
The Unfortunate Warner:
God knows how much David Warner loves his franchise! Posting pictures of his daughters in SRH jerseys to dancing on the local Telugu songs with his wife, the guy never shies away from showing his love for his dear team. But what really happened to Davy for being dropped even when he was able to score 2 50s and had a decent (from a T20 standard) enough batting average of over 30 in the six games he was part of? The name itself proved to be the problem here. David Warner in his every appearance of all the IPL editions has managed to score mountains of runs. But this year, even though he managed to post two 50+ scores, the main villain for him proved to be his strike rate.
Coming from a poor performance in the home series against India and directly switching to the gears of IPL may have affected Warner. A ball per run attitude is shown by him, not only was odd on him but cost the team heavily, especially when Bairstow was not opening with him and Kane was unavailable for the initial games. The cautious starts eventually proved to be so fatal that the team management went ahead with his controversial removal from the playing XI.
Can there be any more changes?
It’s an unspoken norm that teams after a win, refrain from changing their playing 11 going into the next match. And rightfully so. I mean who would like to make changes when things are going their way? But unfortunately, SRH neither tasted the win (barring one) neither backed their players to perform in the next matches.
Yes, the covid played a huge role for every team in IPL to check their options for this year’s edition, but a staggering 21 changes, that too within the half quota of the tournament will surely make any cricket pundits head turn. Nearly every match had a new playing XI for SRH, which ultimately backfired for them. Even when Williamson was back, he was still made to sit on benches initially, clear neglect in the face of a dire need of someone who could provide middle-order support. Lack of answers for the vacant places and lack of backing by the team management kept the team searching places rather than delivering performances.
Apart from the changes in the XI, another menace that the team practiced literally every game was of reshuffling the playing orders. The only one who maintained his position throughout the tournament was Warner. Sending Saha to open was unexpected for everyone. It was logical at the same time a bizarre decision to choose Saha as an opener instead of Bairstow, which rightfully create an online buzz. In the absence of Williamson, a solid and experienced batsman was needed to strengthen the middle order, and accordingly, Bairstow was ‘bestowed’ with the job. But the opening pair of Warner-Saha never really clicked. Bairstow was back as the opener in the 3rd match and was the match-winner for the team in the immediate fixture with Punjab Kings, rightfully justifying why he is regarded as one of the most destructive openers in the world.
Hope in Manish Pandey:
Manish Pandey. Experts have always said about him that “on his day, he is a terrific player.” I mean how many players can say that they have won an IPL final singlehandedly for their team, is the first Indian to score a ton before any other star player, and has the reputation of scoring runs consistently. But the only term that has not found a permanent place with him is the ‘temperament’. His initial scoring at a brisk pace in the first match brought in an unfortunate loss even when he was at the crease.
But the shift that he showed, especially after being dropped after few matches, while opening as well as in the middle order surely brought some meaning to the overall batting power of SRH. With the sheer willingness to raise the hand to bat at any number when the team demands, Manish Pandey has surely risen to the occasion this year. He has surely given some hope to the team for bouncing back.
How to use the wizard Rashid?
The only bowler who has not dropped an eye even once during this season for SRH is undoubtedly Rashid Khan. With consistent economical spells, complemented by regular wicket-taking, Rashid was back at it this season as well and was brilliantly delivering on his role. But was he being effectively used this time? Even the calm-headed Kane found himself at a spot after taking the reigns as the captain.
In their latest fixture before the tournament stoppage, SRH found themselves in a clear case where they had a lack of an option B for Rashid. The complete use of Rashid’s spell in the powerplays saw the team taking a hitting in the last overs and they couldn’t help but watch Jos Buttler’s ton silently. A more planned division of his spell may or may not have changed the tides for SRH as most of their games were lost in the dip, and the availability of Rashid at the end could save some faces.
Way forward for the 2nd half:
So how can SRH make a comeback in the remaining fixture when all are looking haphazard? The first thing first…reinstate Warner in the playing XI. The man might not have played by his set standard this season, but he still can and most probably will pack a punch when his time comes. The motto behind removing him may have probably been from a ‘setting an example’ standpoint, credit to the coaching staff comprising mainly of Australians (director of Cricket- Tom Moody, Head Coach-Trevor Bayliss) who hardly give a thought about the player’s reputation (unlike their Indian counterpart) and are singly focused on acquiring the necessary result. Bringing him back will not only reinstall the intent to go forward but may change the thinking for the future years.
The next thing they can look into is providing the backup for Rashid Khan to effectively use him and look out for someone who can fill in the shoes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar when the time comes. Sticking to the playing 11 with a properly assigned role has been the success key for SRH over the years and which was clearly lacking this time. Reassigning the roles and sticking to them is what is needed for the team at the moment.
A bounce-back is hard to predict and SRH making it to the playoff, too, looks unlikely. But if the team management really wants to save their culture of winning for the coming years, they surely are brainstorming on their virtual team meetings at the moment you are reading this piece.