IPL 2024 Qualifier 2, SRH vs RR: Battle of equals as Royals face Hyderabad at fortress Chepauk

Despite the scorching temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius for the third consecutive day in Ahmedabad, over 85,000 passionate Virat Kohli loyalists filled the stadium for Wednesday's eliminator match. But their loyalty went for a toss, as Kohli experienced more heartbreak after Royal Challengers Bangalore were eliminated following a four-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals.

Rajasthan effectively restricted Bangalore to 172-8, a target they chased down with six balls to spare in the crucial playoff match at the world's largest cricket stadium. This defeat prolonged Bangalore's and Kohli's quest for their maiden IPL title.

Rajasthan will now face the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final playoff match on Friday to determine the opponent for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the final on May 26. Kolkata secured their fourth IPL final appearance after defeating Hyderabad in the initial playoff on Tuesday in scorching conditions in Ahmedabad.

Rajasthan, the inaugural IPL champions in 2008 under the leadership of the late Australian legend Shane Warne, have staged a remarkable comeback after enduring four losses in five matches, including one washout. Bangalore's remarkable journey came to an end after climbing from the bottom of the table, having won only one of their first eight matches, to winning six consecutive matches and securing a playoff berth.

Fondly dubbed as ‘Travishek', IPL's power-hitting duo Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma are poised to encounter a formidable challenge from the crafty spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Heralded for their explosive batting prowess, the pair have redefined power-hitting in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. While Head has amassed 533 runs at a staggering strike rate of 199.62, Abhishek Sharma has contributed 470 runs at an impressive 207.04, there are far enough reasons to say why ‘Travishek' is so often looked up to. Adding to Sunrisers' formidable batting lineup is Heinrich Klaasen, a dynamic batsman who has notched up 413 runs at a formidable strike rate of 180, including 34 maximums.

Notably, Hyderabad's dominance at venues like the Uppal, Kotla, or Wankhede may not translate seamlessly to the Chepauk, where the pitch tends to offer more grip and challenge stroke-making. So, none knows what is about to happen this Friday.

Ashwin, with his intimate knowledge of the Chepauk surface, poses a significant threat to the Sunrisers' batting juggernaut. His recent resurgence in form further bolsters Rajasthan's spin arsenal. Coupled with the talents of the nation's premier leg-spinner, Chahal, Rajasthan Royals aim to swiftly dismantle the formidable trio of Head, Abhishek, and Klaasen to seize control of the match. Meanwhile, Hyderabad's bowling unit will heavily rely on their leading wicket-taker of the season, T Natarajan, especially on his home ground, to exploit the favourable conditions. However, the seasoned duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Cummins must also step up, given Kumar's recent lack of wickets in the last two outings.

While Hyderabad still try to come to terms with the absence of their two quality spinners, the Royals enter the contest buoyed by their recent victory over RCB, which halted their five-game winless streak. With the top-order exhibiting promising signs, particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, the team hopes to maintain momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup next month in the United States.