On Sunday, March 23, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the 2008 champions, the Rajasthan Royals, and last year’s runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad, will square off in Match No. 2 of the current Indian Premier League 2025. Importantly, the game will start at 3:30 PM (IST) and is slated to be the season’s first afternoon encounter.
The two last faced off in the 2024 Indian Premier League, when SRH defeated RR by 36 runs in Qualifier 2 to deny RR a spot in the tournament. Despite losing to the Kolkata Knight Riders, SRH was the frontrunner to win the cup this year because to their outstanding success the previous year.
Following the massive auction, both teams have made substantial roster adjustments. Pat Cummins, a fast bowler from Australia, will lead SRH. With Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen in their batting lineup, they are unbeatable. Abhishek is someone to watch because of his recent heroics in Twenty20 Internationals, including his 135 off 54 against England for India.
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Pitch Report:
The Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is famous for being a batters’ paradise, tending to deliver high-scoring matches. The average first-innings score is 220, which is a batters’ haven. But the wicket deteriorates as the match goes on, introducing spinners into the equation. The chasing teams have fared well here in the past, with a 1.235 W/L ratio in the IPL.
SRH vs RR IPL Stats & Records at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad have had a good record at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, having won 35 of their 57 games played there. The record team score at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was achieved by Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27, 2024, when they scored 277/3 against MI.
| Matches Played | 77 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 34 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 43 |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 28 |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 49 |
| Matches With No Result | 0 |
| Highest Team Total | 277/3 by SRH vs MI |
| Lowest Team Total | 80/10 by Delhi Daredevils vs SRH |
| Average First Innings Total | 204 |
| Highest Total Successfully Chased | 160/3 by Mumbai Indians vs SRH in 2014 |
SRH vs RR Strategies & Match-ups:
One of the most anticipated face-offs in the SRH vs RR battle will be Pat Cummins vs Yashasvi Jaiswal. The young left-hander has been one of the top run-scorers for Rajasthan, but confronting Cummins’ sheer pace and accuracy with the new ball will prove to be a daunting task.
Cummins, who is renowned for his precision and bounce generation, will seek to disrupt Jaiswal early on and deny him the opportunity to give a solid beginning to RR. Once the initial storm is weathered by Jaiswal, he may look to take SRH on the back foot through his aggressive stroke play and thus turn this into a significant duel to dictate the powerplay.
Travis Head vs Jofra Archer will also be a vital contest. Head has been a destructive force at the top for SRH, but Archer’s raw pace and ability to generate awkward bounce can trouble him, especially early in the innings. If Archer finds his rhythm, he could force Head into playing risky shots, potentially getting an early breakthrough for RR.
Additionally, Mohammed Shami’s spell against Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag will be a key phase in the middle overs. With Samson unavailable due to injury, Parag will have added responsibility, but facing Shami’s disciplined line and length won’t be easy. If Shami can execute his plans effectively, RR’s middle order could struggle to keep up the scoring rate, giving SRH a major advantage.
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