Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 13 : Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif said that after a loss to the Gujarat Titans (GT), the road ahead is a tough one for the Men in Orange, with several high-profile matches lined up and their adaptability being under the scanner in the match against the Titans.
SRH slipped to their worst all out total, bundled out for just 86 in a 169-run chase against GT at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday. The surface offered a lot of help to seamers, and the Pat Cummins-led side was found wanting in terms of shot-making, especially against powerplay duo of Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada.
SRH are at the third spot with seven wins and five losses, giving them 14 points. Their next two fixtures are against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chennai on May 18, with the five-time champions on an upward trajectory after starting off with three losses, winning six and losing just two since then. Their final league stage match is at home against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 22, who would be raring hard to bounce back from a mid-season slump after four successive losses and seal their remaining three matches for not only a playoffs move, but for the sake of their momentum since last year's runners-up finish.
Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Match Centre Live', JioStar expert Kaif said, "CSK away from home will be a tough test for SRH. Adapting to different conditions is key in this tournament, and SRH failed to do that against Gujarat. That could be a talking point in their dressing room," he said.
Kaif said while there is no need to panic for SRH, they need to address the issue of adaptability across various conditions and should win against CSK for a top-two finish.
"No panic yet, but it's something they need to address. They finish at home against Punjab, where they are comfortable and know the conditions. But if they want to push for a top two finish, they need to win away against Chennai. CSK are looking good right now. So, SRH have a tough road ahead in their last two games," he added.
GT are now the table topper, with eight wins and four losses, giving them 16 points. Their remaining matches against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), another side going up with four successive wins (on May 16 in Kolkata) and against CSK at home on May 21 could determine if they will play the qualifier or the eliminator.
Kaif has one thing clear: the GT will be able to make it to the playoffs, but warned against writing off CSK and KKR. He also said that with still a lot of matches left, no one in the top four "can feel safe right now".
"I think Gujarat Titans will qualify; that's clear. But Kolkata Knight Riders, who play GT next, have only played ten games and are in good form. Do not write them or CSK off either. The next few days will give us a clearer picture of the top four. Gujarat should go through, but the second, third, and fourth spots are hard to call. There is still plenty of cricket left. No team in that group can feel safe right now," he signed off.
Coming to the toss, SRH opted to bowl first and GT was reduced to 26/2, with Sai Sudharsan (61 in 44 balls, with five fours and two fifties) carrying out the repair job with Nishant Sindhu (22 in 14 balls, with three fours and a six) with a 38-run stand and then a 60-run stand with Washington Sundar (50 in 33 balls, with seven fours and a six). GT reached 168/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of fifties from Sudharsan and Washington.
Praful Hinge (2/17 in three overs) and Sakib Hussain (2/37 in four overs) bowled superbly for SRH. Skipper Pat Cummins also had a four-over spell of 1/20.
During the chase, Mohammed Siraj (1/11 in three overs) started strong by removing Travis Head for a duck. Kagiso Rabada (3/28 in four overs) dismantled the top-order consisting of Abhishek Sharma (6), Ishan Kishan (11) and Smaran Ravichandran (9), reducing SRH to 32/4 in 5.5 overs.
Later, it was Jason Holder (3/20 in four overs) and Prasidh Krishna (2/23 in three overs) who skittled out SRH for just 86 runs, with SRH skipper Cummins (19) being the top scorer.
Rabada was adjudged to be the 'Player of the Match' for his sensational powerplay spell.
With eight wins and four losses, GT stays at the top of the table with 16 points and SRH has slid down to third with seven wins and five losses, with 14 points.
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