IPL 2025, SRH vs RR: Sunrisers Hyderabad to start favourite against Rajasthan Royals

Indian Premier League 2025: IPL season 18, Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on March 23, 2025. 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad starts favourite against Rajasthan Royals

Equipped with a balanced squad that features a formidable batting line-up and experienced bowlers, last edition's runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad will start as favourites in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on Sunday (March 23, 2025).

Sunrisers have some of the most explosive batters in their line-up in Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, and with a belter of a track likely to offer at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, they would fancy a massive total in the afternoon match of the double-header day.

In fact, if any team can get to the much talked about 300-run total after batting first, it is Sunrisers that is expected to achieve the feat with the firepower they have.

The return of India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy after an injury is also expected to add to the arsenal of the Sunrisers. With the kind of form Abhishek and Head have been having recently, the Sunrisers supporters can expect to see impressive strokes.

In the last T20I he played, Abhishek scored 135 off just 54 balls with a strike rate of 250 against England during the home series in February.

With few established names in the bowling department of the Royals, except England pacer Jofra Archer, there is every possibility that the Sunrisers can eye another 250-plus total if they bat first on Sunday.

Sunrisers posted 250-plus totals three times last season, including 287 against Royal Challengers Bangaluru in an away match and 277 against Mumbai Indians at home. The explosive duo of Abhishek and Head scored the highest IPL powerplay total of 125 against Delhi Capitals in the third instance when they posted 266.