HYDERABAD: Lucknow Super Giants will need to step up their batting as they seek their first win of the season against an explosive Sunrisers Hyderabad in a tricky away IPL clash, here on Sunday.
SRH head into their first home game of the season brimming with confidence after rediscovering their batting mojo, hammering 226/8 to crush Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs at Eden Gardens.
Returning to Uppal, where conditions are expected to favour strokeplay in an afternoon game, only adds to the challenge for LSG.
With momentum on their side and home conditions in their favour, SRH will surely start as favourites, while LSG have a mountain to climb.
Despite making the playoffs in their first two seasons, the Sanjiv Goenka-owned side have endured a slump over the past couple of years, finishing seventh in identical fashion, and their campaign this time has not begun on a promising note.
It is not a lack of resources that is hurting them.
The Justin Langer-coached side boasts a formidable batting line-up featuring Australia T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh, South Africa’s Aiden Markram, captain Rishabh Pant and the explosive Nicholas Pooran.
However, their collapse for 141 in less than 19 overs in their IPL opener against Delhi Capitals at their home venue in Ekana exposed glaring issues.
Tactical tinkering also backfired as LSG moved away from their settled opening pair of Marsh and Markram, promoting India’s out-of-favour keeper-batter Pant to the top.
Pant managed just seven before being run out, reigniting the debate over his ideal batting position.
A move back to No 3 could be on the cards -- a slot from where he had enjoyed success in 2025 scoring a century.
Pooran has also been effective in that role but the Windies star player may have to do the middle overs’ duty.
The bowling unit was their biggest plus.
Mohammed Shami turned back the clock with a vintage new-ball spell alongside young pacer Prince Yadav, as the duo reduced Delhi to 26/4 inside the power play in their last outing.
But LSG failed to sustain the pressure in the middle overs, and another tactical call -- leaving out mystery leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, their leading wicket-taker (14) last season -- came under scrutiny.
SRH, on the other hand, appear to have hit their stride after an opening defeat to defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL opener.
Their batting unit clicked in unison against KKR, with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma returning to form at the top.
Skipper Ishan Kishan, leading in the absence of Pat Cummins, has also shown encouraging signs, while Heinrich Klaasen’s experience remains central to their middle-order stability, as was seen during his composed half-century in Kolkata.