Will Aiden Markram Be Able To Guide SunRisers Hyderabad To Second IPL Title?

Sunrisers Hyderabad would be banking on the leadership skills of their new skipper, South African Aiden Markram, and the cricketing acumen of coach Brian Lara to break the jinx of finishing in the lower rung over the last couple of editions, when the latest IPL season commences on March 31. Markram, who led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the inaugural SA20 title, is the third captaincy change in three years for the Hyderabad franchise, and will have a big job at hand to guide the side to success after it finished last in 2021 and eighth among 10 teams last year.

Having won the title in 2016, SRH's biggest issue has been their captaincy, with Australian opener David Warner and charismatic New Zealand batter Kane Williamson having to pay the price for the team's debacle in the last two editions.

Strengths:

SRH have brought in India batter Mayank Agarwal to boost their top order, and in Harry Brook, they have signed one of the most exciting young players in the game.

Brook, 24, is being touted as the next big thing in England cricket. He is expected to play a huge role in the middle order and comes into his maiden IPL season with 2,432 runs from 99 T20s at a strike rate of 148.32.

Lara, who was the team's strategic advisor and batting coach in 2022, has replaced Australian Tom Moody as head coach, which could give the West Indian legend more room to experiment with the batting order.

SRH will bat deep this season, with Mayank, Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi making up the top order, while the middle order could feature Markram, Brook and Glenn Phillips or Heinrich Klaasen, with Washington Sundar and Marco Jansen also in the mix.

SRH also have a strong fast-bowling attack.

Apart from the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the