Suresh Raina Backs SRH’s Batting-First Strategy for IPL Final

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina believes that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) should stick with their batting-first approach in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday.

Speaking to JioCinema, Raina highlighted the importance of Pat Cummins’ presence in the SRH squad, noting that the Sunrisers skipper’s recent ODI World Cup win adds significant value.

“Sunrisers should back their batting-first approach and put runs on the board, but the eight overs of spin will be crucial. With KKR having won an IPL in Chennai, the pressure will be different. The key point for SRH is Pat Cummins who has already won the World Cup; he knows how to keep the dressing room running. You follow the process, you are switched on for the finals, the players know their roles, and everything will be organized,” Raina said.

KKR finished the league stage at the top of the points table with nine wins, three losses, and two no results, earning 20 points. They secured a direct spot in the final by defeating SRH in Qualifier 1. SRH got a second shot at the title in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals (RR), capitalizing on it by defeating the ‘Men in Pink’ by 36 runs.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (Wk), Abdul Samad, Pat Cummins (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Jaydev Unadkat, Shahbaz Ahmed, Umran Malik, Sanvir Singh, Glenn Phillips, Mayank Markande, Mayank Agarwal, Washington Sundar, Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Yadav, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh.