"Hyderabad have plenty of reasons for a headache" - Aakash Chopra on SunRisers Hyderabad's problems heading into IPL 2023 clash vs CSK

Aakash Chopra believes the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have several concerns heading into their IPL 2023 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The Aiden Markram and MS Dhoni-led sides will lock horns in Chennai on Friday, April 21. SRH are currently placed ninth in the IPL 2023 points table and would need to register a win to avoid falling too far behind in the playoff qualification race.

While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the SunRisers Hyderabad have a plethora of issues to address, saying:

"Hyderabad have plenty of reasons for a headache. The batting doesn't play that well in spin-friendly conditions. They lost their last match at home, a run chase that should have happened but did not happen against Mumbai."

The former Indian batter pointed out that the SRH openers have rarely played substantial knocks, elaborating:

"Harry Brook has struck a century but hasn't done anything in the rest of the games. Mayank Agarwal played a 40-plus knock in the last match but he doesn't have anything other than that."

Chopra added that Rahul Tripathi has also failed more often than not, observing:

"Rahul Tripathi has played only two good knocks. He scored 30-35 against Lucknow and after that runs against Punjab in the next match but nothing else other than that. His last two innings have been very ordinary. Markram is batting well but more will be expected from Heinrich Klaasen."

Apart from Harry Brook's unbeaten century against the Kolkata Knight Riders, the SunRisers Hyderabad batters have scored only two half-centuries. Brook too has aggregated just 38 runs in his other four knocks in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.

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"They have Umran Malik but they don't play him" - Aakash Chopra on the SunRisers Hyderabad's selection issues

Umran Malik was dropped for SRH's last game against the Mumbai Indians. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While stating that the SunRisers Hyderabad have a good bowling attack, Aakash Chopra hopes that the franchise brings back Umran Malik into their XI, explaining:

"Their bowling is good but they are not playing them properly. They have Umran Malik but they don't play him. It was beyond my understanding why they didn't play him in the last match. Play him here as the ground is very big. Don't think that you shouldn't play him because it is a slow pitch. Mark Wood also picked up two wickets here."

Umran has scalped five wickets in the four matches he has played thus far. However, he has been quite expensive, conceding an average of 11.09 runs per over.