New Delhi
Cricket expert Aakash Chopra has officially revealed his ideal playing XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they face the defending champions in Bengaluru. With regular captain Pat Cummins sidelined by injury, Chopra’s selection focuses on filling the massive void left in the team’s bowling attack.
Taking the lead in Cummins’ absence is India’s T20 star Ishan Kishan. To bolster the defense, Chopra has picked Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga to join the lineup. He argues that Hyderabad desperately needs a “death over” specialist to stop late runs, making Malinga a better choice than other overseas options. The pace attack is further rounded out by Indian bowlers Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, and Jaydev Unadkat.
In the batting department, Chopra kept the explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. However, he issued a specific warning to the team management regarding young talent Nitish Kumar Reddy. Chopra insists that Reddy must bat at number five to be effective, rather than being shuffled around the middle order. Following him, heavy hitters Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone are expected to provide the firepower needed for a massive total.
To keep the game dynamic, Chopra named Zeeshan Ansari and Shivang Kumar as his preferred “Impact Player” options for spin support. As Hyderabad steps into the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium tonight, fans are eager to see if this balanced lineup can overcome the champions on their home turf.