IPL 2021: SRH coach Trevor Bayliss opens up on the absence of Kane Williamson and Mohammad Nabi

SRH coach Trevor Bayliss has revealed why Kane Williamson and Mohammad Nabi missed out on their IPL 2021 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai.

Chasing 150 for the win, SRH needed 35 off the final four overs with Manish Pandey and Jonny Bairstow at the crease. On a surface that keeps slowing down considerably, RCB pulled off a win by 6 runs, as the SRH middle-order collapsed.

In IPL 2020, SRH beat RCB in a low-scoring thriller courtesy of Kane Williamson’s fifty. The Kiwi captain, who won the Orange Cap in 2018 and led SRH to the final that season, exhibited remarkable skills to bail the side out from a precarious situation.

According to Bayliss, Kane Williamson, who injured his elbow ahead of the Bangladesh series last month, hasn’t gained full match fitness.

“We had two days of practice before the RCB game, and Kane Williamson practised in one of the days. So, he’s coming along,” said Bayliss, who had earlier suggested that the New Zealand star would come into the calculations as the tournament progresses.

A few smiles & a handshake as we say good night from Chepauk ☺️🤝#VIVOIPL #SRHvRCB @Vivo_India pic.twitter.com/GnRGIKDjZ3

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 14, 2021

Mohammad Nabi is still feeling the effects of the head injury: SRH coach Trevor Bayliss

SRH's Mohammad Nabi after being hit on the back of the head (Photo: BCCI)

Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was hit on the back of the head by a bouncer from Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) pacer Prasidh Krishna on Monday. Bayliss revealed that the star all-rounder still felt the effects of the hit, and as a result, former West Indies skipper Jason Holder was drafted into the XI.

“Mohammad Nabi got hit on the head against KKR. He’s still feeling the effects of that hit. Therefore, we played Jason Holder. He adds to our pace attack with his height and bounce. He exactly did so in this match,” Bayliss added.

Coming off consecutive defeats despite winning the toss, SRH will face defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in their next match at the same venue in Chennai on Saturday.

📸 Last night's match in pictures. #SRHvRCB #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/BuEKYqia8M

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 15, 2021