Four-five top-class batsmen in the lineup make it a well-rounded unit, says VVS Laxman
IPL
VVS Laxman is highly optimistic over his side’s chances ahead of this season’s IPL as he believes that four-five top class batsmen will help make the SRH team more balanced. Laxman highlighted that the SRH dugout possessed depth in their international as well as uncapped domestic player squad.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have had a mixed bag of results in their short history of playing in the Indian Premier League. Their most successful season came in 2016, when they managed to pull off a memorable victory in the finals against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore to lift their maiden IPL trophy under the leadership of David Warner. The left-handed batsman was one of the most influential players in the league and his performances with the bat
However, SRH team mentor and former India batsman VVS Laxman was quick to point out that the SRH dugout possessed a vast array of batting talent at their disposal to make up for Warner’s absence.
“These four-five top-class batsmen in the lineup make it a well-rounded unit. It was a conscious effort going into the auction because over the last 2-3 years, we felt our middle order did not perform to our expectations,”VVS Laxman, the team mentor, said in Hyderabad on Thursday (April 5), reported Wisden India.
“This was something we consciously focused on — targeting players who can not only play well as a batsman up the order. Shikhar and Warner have been exceptional and I’m sure Shikhar will continue his good run even this year. This year, we’ve got players who can do well in middle overs and players who can finish games off."
The SRH management team have put together a strong squad by acquiring acclaimed big hitters like Shakib al Hasan, Manish Pandey (for a staggering Rs 11 crore), Yusuf Pathan and Carlos Brathwaite, among others. They also brought in a replacement for banned skipper Warner in the form of English batsman Alex Hales. The likes of Indian players such as Shikhar Dhawan, Deepak Hooda, Wriddhiman Saha, and Ricky Bhui will only empower the team to perform better on the batting front of their game.
“That’s why I say there’s a lot of depth, not just international stars but a lot of uncapped domestic batsmen in the side. In the couple of practice games we played, they showed they are in good form and better equipped than what we’ve seen over the last few years. That’s exciting because the more strength you have on the bench with players ready to walk into playing XI, the better,”
“This year we have a lot of depth. Especially in the T20
