DC vs SRH: A crucial match for both teams in IPL 2025

There is no doubt Sunrisers desperately needs to come up with a complete, improved all-round performance to salvage some pride.On the other hand, Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals too got stuck after topping the points table at one stage, losing a few games from seemingly winning positions

Hyderabad: From the pre-season big talk of crossing the 300-barrier, there has been a steady decline in the fortunes of Sunrisers Hyderabad, pushing it to ninth place on points table with six points from three wins.

So, when Sunrisers takes on Delhi Capitals on Monday it can be one last chance of redemption for the former champions. Mathematical calculations, giving faint hopes of a miraculous entry into play-offs by winning all its remaining four games, can be a source of motivation for Sunrisers still and hope the results of those in the top bracket faltering to its advantage.

The feared Travis Head–Abhishek Sharma combine rarely inspired awe inthe rival camps and the indifferent form of the likes of Ishan Kishan, who after his century on debut for Sunrisers couldn’t recreate that magic, the big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen, the out-of-form Nitish Reddy only compounded the misery of the home team. Aniket Varma sparkled on and off.

In fact, it is a collective failure as even the bowling attack too, led by captain Pat Cummins, was inconsistent and never really threatened the rivals. The huge disappointment was India pacer Mohammed Shami. Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was impressive against Gujarat Titans in the last game. But even in spin, leggie Zeeshan Ansari and Kamindu Mendis were off the mark and expensive .

There is no doubt Sunrisers desperately needs to come up with a complete, improved all-round performance to salvage some pride.On the other hand, Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals too got stuck after topping the points table at one stage, losing a few games from seemingly winning positions.

Delhi, fifth with 12 points from six wins, badly needs a win here to avoid being left behind in the race for a place in the play-offs. The batting line-up has the skillful Abishek Porel and Faf du Plessis at the top and Karun Nair, consistent K.L. Rahul, Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs to follow.

Obviously, Axar would not like a situation where the all-rounders Vipraj Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma would have to pull off something special.

In bowling, the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Mukesh Kumar could face a serious test against the home team on what could be another batting-friendly wicket.

The big comforting factor for Delhi has been the consistency of left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and his skills in the crucial middle-overs can prove to be decisive again in the company of another left-arm spinner Axar Patel.