Hyderabad, March 23, 2025 — History beckons at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium as Riyan Parag, at just 23, becomes the youngest captain in Rajasthan Royals (RR) history, stepping in for the injured Sanju Samson in their afternoon clash against the explosive Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The first double-header Sunday of IPL 2025 kicks off with a tantalizing showdown between Parag’s revamped Royals and SRH’s record-breaking batting unit.
Toss & Tactics
Parag won his maiden toss as captain, opting to bowl first on a flat Hyderabad deck. Samson, recovering from finger surgery, will feature as RR’s Impact Player during the chase, marking his return purely as a batter. RR’s strategy hinges on an all-Indian top six, including debutant Shubham Dubey (Vidarbha’s domestic powerhouse) and Nitish Rana, while stacking their attack with overseas firepower: Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana. Notably, Theekshana pipped Wanindu Hasaranga for the starting XI, a bold call given Hasaranga’s pedigree.
SRH, meanwhile, handed a debut to 23-year-old Aniket Verma, a standout from Madhya Pradesh’s T20 league where he amassed 273 runs in six innings at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 195. Despite a duck in his lone representative T20 last December, SRH backed his fearless approach. Their XI features only three overseas stars: captain Pat Cummins, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen, with Adam Zampa waiting as an Impact Sub for the bowling innings.
Team Lineups & Key Battles
SRH Batting Firepower:
- Travis Head
- Abhishek Sharma
- Ishan Kishan (wk)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Aniket Verma
- Abhinav Manohar
- Pat Cummins (capt)
- Simarjeet Singh
- Harshal Patel
- Mohammed Shami
Impact Subs: Adam Zampa, Sachin Baby, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari
RR’s Hybrid Strategy:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Shubham Dubey
- Nitish Rana
- Riyan Parag (capt)
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Jofra Archer
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Tushar Deshpande
- Sandeep Sharma
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Impact Subs: Sanju Samson, Kwena Maphaka, Kunal Singh Rathore, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal
Context & Storylines
- Parag-Dravid Reunion: Seven years after winning the 2018 U-19 World Cup under Rahul Dravid, Parag now captains RR with Dravid as head coach. Their chemistry could define RR’s campaign.
- SRH’s Six-Hitting Legacy: Fresh off a 2024 season where they breached 250 three times, SRH added Ishan Kishan (slotted at No. 3) to their arsenal. Their mantra? “Aggression across all venues.”
- 300 on the Cards? A pre-match poll saw 9.2K fans split on whether IPL 2025’s first 300-run total would emerge here. With SRH’s lineup, it’s not impossible.
- RR’s Bold Gambit: Post-mega-auction, RR’s all-Indian top five (a rarity in IPL) faces SRH’s pace trio of Cummins, Shami, and Simarjeet. Archer vs Head in the powerplay could be electrifying.
What to Watch
- Aniket Verma’s Baptism: Can the MP rookie withstand Archer’s pace and Theekshana’s spin?
- Samson’s Cameo: The Impact Player rule allows Samson to bat without fielding—a potential game-changer.
- Death Bowling Duel: Harshal Patel’s slower balls vs Hetmyer’s brute force in the final overs.
Verdict
While RR’s experimental lineup banks on Parag’s tactical flair and Archer’s comeback, SRH’s batting depth and home advantage make them slight favorites. A 200+ total seems inevitable, but RR’s spinners (Theekshana, Deshpande) might just turn the tide.
Stay tuned for updates as the six-hitting carnival begins!
Up Next: CSK vs MI in Chennai’s evening blockbuster. 🔥🏏
