Sunrisers Hyderabad has the pedigree of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head at the top of the order. For Rajasthan Royals, the task of offering explosive starts with the willow falls on the pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal. How these dynamic left-handed openers fare in tandem may go a long way towards deciding the outcome of the IPL Eliminator at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium on Wednesday.
“Both opening pairs are destructive in their own ways. We’ve obviously seen for a few years now the dynamic partnership that we have with Travis and Abhishek,” said SRH assistant coach James Franklin in the lead-up to the clash against Royals. “And then there’s been the emergence of Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal for RR from the back end of last year’s IPL. As an opening partnership, they have been equally destructive. So, I dare say both bowling line-ups have got their work cut out for them, but that makes the game exciting for everyone involved.”
Among these belligerent batters, Head has been a tad subdued by his usual standards. According to Franklin, however, there is no cause for concern. “More than individual form or scores, we look at the partnership. We look at the way that he and Abhishek put pressure back on opposition bowlers,” the New Zealander explained. “So tomorrow is another opportunity for Travis and Abhishek to go and stamp their mark on the game. There is no doubt about Travis’ ability to play a match-winning role for us.”
Shanaka urges RR middle-order to stick around for longer
FILE PHOTO: Dasun Shanaka has scored just 55 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 162. | Photo Credit: Emmanuel Yogini
FILE PHOTO: Dasun Shanaka has scored just 55 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 162. | Photo Credit: Emmanuel Yogini
In Rajasthan Royals’ run to the playoffs of IPL 2026, the middle-order has been its soft underbelly. While the top three of Sooryavanshi, Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel have compiled more than 350 runs each, no other batter has even managed a tally of 300 runs in the tournament’s 19th edition.
All-rounder Dasun Shanaka, who has played five games this season, said that the middle-order batters need to take a bit of time to assess the situation at hand.
“Most times, the top-order has done the job. It’s about handling different situations. Following the top-order batters, who are playing at a high strike-rate, there is pressure. The batters in the middle-order need to take a bit of time to establish themselves. As someone who has played a lot of cricket there, I feel we need to stay in longer. That’s the key to success in these tough situations,” the 34-year-old Sri Lankan said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Going into the season, RR’s decision to appoint Riyan Parag as skipper faced some flak. Asked for his view on how the 24-year-old had fared in his maiden season as full-time captain, Shanaka said: “Parag sticks to his decisions. That’s what is important. Many people criticize, but I see him as a great leader in the making. I am also a guy who likes to learn from different people. I am also learning from him. Obviously, I am passing messages to him as well, which is really important.”
Published on May 26, 2026
