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IPL 2016: Yuvraj Singh’s return could make Sunrisers Hyderabad serious title contenders

Yuvraj SIngh is all set to make his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the match against Gujarat Lions.

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Yuvraj Singh was injured just ahead of the T20 World Cup 2016 semi-final against West Indies © AFP
Yuvraj Singh was injured just ahead of the T20 World Cup 2016 semi-final against West Indies © AFP

India suffered a blow when they learnt that Yuvraj Singh could not play in the T20 World Cup 2016 due to an injury.  A month later, Yuvraj is ready to return to competitive cricket and is likely to take field against Gujarat Lions (GL) for his new franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016. Yuvraj’s inclusion is surely set to strengthen SRH’s batting line-up, which consists of heavyweights such as David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan and also Kane Williamson. With so many talented batsmen in the side, it will be difficult for the opposition to even breathe for a second. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016, Match 34 at Hyderabad

In Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) case, they have batsmen like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Shane Watson coming one after the other. If one gets out, they have another power-hitter coming into bat and the opposition have very little respite in the process. Yuvraj had a forgettable  time in the T20 World Cup, but cannot be under-estimated despite that. SRH vs GL, IPL 2016: Preview

He made a return to the Indian team after a long gap during the tour of Australia. He has played 15 matches after his return and managed to score 166 at 20.75 in the 11 innings he has batted in T20Is. That is not a phenomenal record for a man of his stature, but he there have been many occasions where he has not had the chance to face many deliveries as the Indian team too is packed with many power-hitters.

But that will not be the case at SRH. He is most likely to play in the No. 4 spot, which will be the best slot for him. He will come in after explosive players like Warner, Dhawan and Williamson and look to carry on the momentum. Being the most experienced batsman in the side, he can also play according to the situation of the match. Added to this, he can also chip in with a couple of overs of slow left-arm spinners, which can be very effective.

SRH coach Tom Moody had a thing or two to say about Yuvraj’s all-round abilities. “Yuvraj adds a lot to our side because it is not only his ability with the bat and being a left-hander which is going to add to our strengths; it is also about what he can do with the ball,” he said.

SRH have had a mixed season so far and the return of Yuvraj could perhaps make them serious title contenders. Yuvraj was bought at a bargain price at the IPL 2016 auction and he could eventually turn out to be the player, who carries the team all the way, just like he has done for India in the past.

(Pramod Ananth is a reporter at CricketCountry. He has represented Karnataka table tennis under-15, and is a hardcore supporter of Liverpool FC. His Twitter handle is @pramz)

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