IPL 2020: SRH's predicted playing XI

Middle Order: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Vijay Shankar, Manish Pandey

There might not be room for Kane Williamson in SRH's middle order for IPL 2020

This is a prediction that might raise a few eyebrows, but the SRH middle order looks very weak in the absence of Kane Williamson, who might have to warm the bench during IPL 2020.

Wriddhiman Saha could be just the man to strike the right balance in the middle order and the gloveman's skill behind the sticks, especially against spin, will be invaluable in the UAE. He would be coming in at an unfamiliar No. 3 position, but could anchor of the innings to perfection.

The No. 4 role is a toss-up between Vijay Shankar and Manish Pandey, and it could go to the former given that Pandey has played the finisher's role for India in the T20 format. The Tamil Nadu man could also chip in with a few overs and is an excellent player of spin, making him ideal for the position.

Manish Pandey will be one of SRH's most important players in the middle order, and with more responsibility in this IPL season, he could elevate his game exponentially.

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All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma

Mohammad Nabi was in superb form in CPL 2020

Mohammad Nabi played 8 games for SRH in IPL 2019, and bowled economically in the powerplay. This year, he is set to be one of the team's most trusted performers, and might even push New Zealand captain Kane Williamson to the bench by taking up the final overseas slot.

SRH have a host of young Indian spin-bowling all-rounders such as Abdul Samad and Sanjay Yadav, but the man who is most likely to play is Abhishek Sharma. The young left-arm spinner has played in the IPL before, and adds an extra dimension to the bowling attack. Moreover, he is a free stroke-player who can contribute significantly with the bat.