"This is a potential weakness" - Aakash Chopra on SunRisers Hyderabad's challenges ahead of IPL 2025

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked the SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) lower-middle-order batting as a potential weakness heading into IPL 2025. He noted that two relatively inexperienced Indian players might have to bat at No. 6 and No. 7 for the franchise this season.

SRH finished as the runners-up in IPL 2024. Apart from captain Pat Cummins (₹18 crore), they retained Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 crore), Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore), Travis Head (₹14 crore) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (₹6 crore), their top-order batters, ahead of the auction, and couldn't bolster the middle order much at the mega auction.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener chose lower-middle-order batting as one of the SunRisers Hyderabad's potential challenges in IPL 2025.

"If you get past the top five, somehow you dismiss the top five below 125 to 150 runs or so, then they can find themselves in a spot of bother. I am saying that because either Abhinav Manohar will play at No.6 or you have the options of Aniket Verma and Sachin Baby," he said (7:05).

"Although Pat Cummins can come to bat, but even if Pat Cummins bats at No. 7, it's one number higher than where he should be. So they need two batters at Nos. 6 and 7, and both will be Indians. They are difficult spots to bat. If you keep your most inexperienced players there, it could be a slight problem. This is a potential weakness," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra acknowledged that SRH could use Kamindu Mendis at No. 6 but questioned whether it would be right to virtually waste an overseas resource by batting him so low in the batting order. He opined that two among Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma and Sachin Baby would bat at Nos. 6 and 7, highlighting that it isn't ideal.

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"What's the scene with Pat Cummins' injury?" - Aakash Chopra on the SunRisers Hyderabad's other potential challenge in IPL 2025

Pat Cummins missed the 2025 Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the uncertainty around Pat Cummins' availability could be another challenge for the SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025.

"What's the scene with Pat Cummins' injury? He missed the Champions Trophy just now. Will he be available for the entire season? If he isn't available, there could be a slight leadership void. Who will you suddenly make the captain?" he said (8;20).

While observing that Heinrich Klaasen could captain SRH if Cummins isn't available, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that last season's skipper will be missed if that happens.

"There is no big Indian name here. I think Heinrich Klaasen has captaincy aspirations, so you could make him the captain, but you will miss Pat Cummins, is what I am thinking," Chopra noted.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra reckoned that the SunRisers Hyderabad could have a slight problem in the second half of the season. He noted that they have one-dimensional players in the top five and that the pitches might not be conducive to strokeplay if they become extremely slow.