Aakash Chopra reckons Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are a formidable team heading into IPL 2024. The Hyderabad-based franchise has a really strong team this time and is looking like one of the title contenders for the upcoming IPL 2024. Sunrisers Hyderabad has won the IPL title in 2016 under the leadership of David Warner. They reached the finals in 2018 but lost to Chennai Super Kings in the summit clash.
SRH finished last in the IPL 2023 season, winning only four games out of 14 in the season ending the season with a wooden spoon. They did not release a plethora of players like other teams. Harry Brook who was bought for 13.25 crores last season was their only big ticket release. They bought Pat Cummins for 20.50 crores and Travis Head for 6.80 crores.
Aakash Chopra voiced his opinion saying that the Sunrisers Hyderabad had a good enough team to qualify for the playoffs in the IPL 2023. He said, “This is one team that is looking rock solid on paper. The team was good last year as well. If you saw on paper, they were an excellent team. They should have qualified for sure but were revolving around the bottom of the table.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator expects the IPL 2016 champions to be one of the title contenders in the upcoming edition. Aakash Chopra reasoned, “When the team was good last year, didn’t release too many players, and have strengthened the team even further, they should reach the top four. I won’t be surprised at all if they are seen close to the podium.”
Aakash Chopra Feels That Wanindu Hasaranga Was A Bargain Buy For Sunrisers Hyderabad
Apart from Pat Cummins and Travis Head, Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired Wanindu Hasaranga, Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, and Jhathavedh Subramanyan at the 2024 IPL auction. They also traded Mayank Dagar to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) taking Shahbaz Ahmed in return from them ahead of the auctions.
Aakash Chopra reckons Wanindu Hasaranga was a great bargain buy for the Hyderabad-based franchise. He explained, “Their steal of the (auction) day was Wanindu Hasaranga because they got him at his base price of 1.50 crores, which wasn’t a chance at all. It became a very good buy because they had Mayank Markande, Washington Sundar and now they have Wanindu Hasaranga.”
The former India opener believes that SRH can play the Sri Lankan all-rounder as their fourth overseas player, with Pat Cummins, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen being the other three. He elaborated, “If they want, they can leave Marco Jansen and Glenn Phillips out because they can play Abdul Samad there. So they can play Wanindu Hasaranga, Washington Sundar and Mayank Markande. That makes it three spinners and then Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik and Pat Cummins.”
Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Sunrisers Hyderabad can play around with their combination as they have an Indian-pace battery. Additionally, Shahbaz Ahmed and Wanindu Hasaranga’s acquisitions have added some extra turn in their spin-bowling department. The Indian Premier League 2024 is scheduled to commence during the third week of March and will conclude during the last week of May.
