SRH vs KKR IPL 2026 Preview: Sunrisers Hyderabad eye sixth straight win as Kolkata Knight Riders aim to keep comeback alive

Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to continue their impressive form when they take on a fighting Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL 2026 clash on Sunday.

SRH riding high on winning momentum

Sunrisers Hyderabad are one of the in-form teams this season, currently sitting third on the points table with 12 points from nine matches. They have won six games so far and are on a strong five-match winning streak.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Their batting has been the biggest reason behind this success, with several players contributing consistently.

Power-packed batting unit gives SRH edge

SRH have one of the most dangerous batting line-ups in the tournament. Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen are among the top run-scorers this season.

Ishan Kishan has also shown his ability to change the game quickly, while Travis Head returned to form with a brilliant 76 in the last match against Mumbai Indians during a successful chase of 243.

Youngsters like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Salil Arora have also stepped up when needed, adding depth to the batting.

Bowling boost with Cummins’ return

SRH’s bowling attack has also improved with the return of captain Pat Cummins.

Along with him, players like Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sakib Hussain have contributed in key moments.

SRH will also take confidence from their previous win over KKR earlier this season, where they secured a convincing 65-run victory at Eden Gardens.

KKR finding rhythm after tough start

KKR have had a difficult season so far but are slowly getting back on track. After a poor run, they have now won their last two matches and are placed eighth on the table.

This match will be crucial for them as they look to build momentum and move up the standings.

Rahane under pressure despite flashes of form

Captain Ajinkya Rahane has faced criticism for both his form and leadership.

While he has shown some positive intent with knocks like 67 against MI and 41 against LSG, questions remain over his captaincy decisions.

Top order yet to deliver consistently

KKR’s batting has not clicked as expected. Players like Finn Allen and Tim Seifert have struggled, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green and Rovman Powell are yet to make a big impact.

There is also anticipation around whether Rachin Ravindra will get a chance after spending time on the bench.

Bowling concerns continue for KKR

KKR’s bowling unit has also faced issues, especially with a weakened pace attack and a quiet season so far for spin leader Varun Chakravarthy.

They have relied heavily on domestic players like Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora and Kartik Tyagi.

Against SRH’s strong batting line-up, the bowlers will need to deliver a much improved performance.

Head-to-head record

Historically, KKR have dominated this rivalry. Out of 31 matches, they have won 19, while SRH have won 11, with one match ending in a tie.

Match details

• When: May 3, Sunday, 3:30 PM IST
• Where: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
• Where to watch: Star Sports and JioHotstar

Squads

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Salil Arora (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Travis Head, Ravichandran Ashwin, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Harsh Dubey, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, Shivang Kumar, Amit Kumar, Gerald Coetzee, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Onkar Tarnale, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Varun Chakravarthy, Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Tejasvi Dahiya, Rachin Ravindra, Akash Deep, Blessing Muzarabani, Navdeep Saini, Prashant Solanki, Finn Allen, Daksh Kamra, Kartik Tyagi, Sarthak Ranjan, Saurabh Dubey.