IPL 2017: Week 2 in review

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Badree picked up a hat-trick against Mumbai Indians

Positive: Samuel Badree plays

After RCB took the positive step of adjusting their overseas balance to two batsmen/all-rounders and two bowlers in the first week, they went a step further this week by selecting Samuel Badree as one of the two bowlers.

RCB appeared reluctant to pick Badree due to the presence of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in their team but against MI Badree showed RCB why he simply has to play. He is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world, particularly in the Powerplay, and if RCB’s batting can fire he will win RCB a lot of matches inside the first few overs of the opposition’s run chase.

Negative: Batting

Amazingly, after the brilliance of RCB’s batting last season, their batting this season has been their major weakness. So far this season, RCB have the lowest batting average and lowest run rate among all teams having managed scores of 172-10, 157-8, 148-4, 142-5 and 134-9.

RCB have been unsettled by injuries but they have not helped themselves by making regular changes to their team, overseas balance and batting order. So far this season they have had five different opening partnerships.

Tactical Tip: Pick Travis Head

A significant reason for the struggles of RCB’s batting has been the poor form of Chris Gayle and Shane Watson. RCB do have another overseas batting option in their squad: Head, and he should be given a run in the team.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 15 wickets in IPL 2017

Positive: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

SRH’s attack leader is enjoying a fantastic season. He is currently the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets and is averaging just 7.20 runs per wicket, 8.64 balls per wicket and 5.35 runs per over. His brilliance, particularly at the death, where he has taken nine wickets at an economy rate of 5.44 runs per over, means no total is not defendable against a superb SRH attack.

Negative: Batting Powerplay

Only one team have a lower run rate in the Powerplay than SRH. Since the start of the 2016 season, Dhawan has scored at just 6.42 runs per over in the first six and given the SRH’s weak lower and middle order David Warner, even more aware of his importance to the team after last season, has appeared reluctant to attack wholeheartedly – his Powerplay run rate this season is 7.62 runs per over.

A couple of low scores for Moises Henriques and Yuvraj Singh has left SRH’s batting looking weak. Fortunately against KXIP, Warner battled through and SRH bowled brilliantly, but they can’t always rely on that to happen. It was encouraging to see Naman Ojha make a significant contribution in that match.

Tactical Tip: Try a pinch-hitter

Given that SRH’s middle and lower order is relatively weak, SRH could really benefit from trying a pinch-hitter like KKR have with Narine and de Grandhomme. Promoting someone like Bipul Sharma – whose career run rate is 8.56 – alongside David Warner could give their Powerplay batting a boost and inadvertently strengthen their middle order by moving everyone down one position.