Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to face each other in a consequential Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Friday at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. For SRH, this match is a must-win to keep their playoff hopes alive. A loss would mean that their playoff chances are over. In fact, SRH need to claim victory in their remaining five games to stand a chance to advance to the playoffs. Conversely, a defeat for Gujarat Titans could significantly hinder their path to the playoffs.

SRH, who have underperformed so far in the season, have been struggling with their top order, which has failed to deliver consistently. Their inability to set or chase a challenging target has been a concern. Now, to turn things around, SRH will be looking to their top-order batters to step up and deliver in times of need. Players like Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who have drastically failed to live up to the expectations, would be expected to stand up for the side. Additionally, Heinrich Klaasen, who has been in good form, will be crucial in anchoring the innings.

In contrast, Gujarat Titans’ top order has been the backbone of their batting lineup. Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have been in sensational form since the start of the tournament, muscling eye-eating performances. Going into this match, GT will rely on their experienced top-order batsmen to provide a solid foundation as they aim to continue their strong performances in the tournament.

Head to head

Matches - 5 

GT won - 4

SRH won - 1

Gujarat Titans probable XII: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Karin Janat, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, shant Sharma

Sunrisers Hyderabad probable XII: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Wiaan Mulder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Zeeshan Ansari