Who will switch injured Washington Sundar? Big headache for Kane Williamson
They have turned things around with wins over Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, and Kane Williamson-led Surnsiers Hyderabad will eye their third consecutive win when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. The 2016 IPL champions faltered in their first two games, failing to put up a strong show while chasing. But skipper Williamson and Abhishek Sharma seem to have found the lost mojo, having registered 50-plus opening stands in the last two games.
A disciplined bowling effort followed by Williamson's ice-cool knock helped Hyderabad trump a confident Gujarat Titans by eight wickets on Monday night. Their lone specialist spinner Washington Sundar, however, got injured and couldn't bowl his full quota of overs. The India star went for just 14 runs in his three overs but is likely to miss at least the next two IPL matches. Sunrisers' head coach Tom Moody confirmed that Washington has torn the webbing in his right hand, between his thumb and first finger, and it will take a "week or so" for him to be back in action.
Washington is likely to miss the next two games but Hyderabad will breathe a sigh of relief after knowing that Rahul Tripathi's injury isn't a serious one. In the game against Gujarat, the batter was on the ground right after hitting a six, and needed medical attention. But Moody said that Tripathi was getting cramped due to humid conditions.
Kane Williamson: Post David Warner's exit, Williamson has become the fulcrum around which the Hyderabad batting attack is built. He led by example against the Titans to help his team register back-to-back wins. Williamson scored 57 off 46 balls until he was out in the 17th over.
Abhishek Sharma: Tom Moody trusted the youngster despite failures in the first two games and Abhishek Sharma seems to have found his rhythm. His 42 against the Titans helped Hyderabad get off to a steady start. He had also notched up a brilliant 75 against Chennai Super Kings.
Rahul Tripathi: A reliable batting alternative at the No. 3 spot! Hyderabad have got one of the most experienced players at the position as Tripathi has got a healthy 140-plus strike rate. He seemed in good touch before a cramp forced him to retire-hurt midway through Hyderabad's chase. After falling on the ground right after hitting a six, he needed medical attention but Tripathi seems fine to start against Kolkata.
