In the three head-to-head encounters so far, Rajasthan Royals have won two while the Sunrisers Hyderabad have managed just one win. Catch all live updates here.
Shikhar Dhawan's Sunrisers Hyderabad open their campaign against Shane Watson-led Rajasthan Royals. Catch all the live updates here. (Scorecard | Summary | Schedule | Standings)
Rajasthan Royals will be extremely competitive, says Shane Watson
Having been part of Rajasthan Royals' campaign in all six previous editions, including the triumphant one in the inaugural year 2008, star Australia all-rounder Shane Watson feels the Jaipur franchise has its strongest-ever team in the Indian Premier League this season.
"I've got no prediction, apart from (that) we're certainly going to be extremely competitive. We've got, in my thoughts, the strongest squad we've ever had for the Rajasthan Royals.
"We've got really hard quality options and back-up for every position in our team which we haven't exactly had every year in the past," said Watson in an email interview to PTI about his team's chances in the T20 event starting Wednesday in the UAE.
However, the 32-year-old Queensland-born stalwart, who will captain the Royals this season, pointed out that with one team less following the exit of Pune Warriors this season, it's going to be an open and exciting tournament.
"But that doesn't certainly guarantee success or any more success than we've had previously because the opposition have got the same thing as well with one less team this year (which) means that there are more hard quality players that are around to better be in every list as well. So I think it's going to be the most toughly fought and evenly fought IPL that's been so far because the quality of players that are in every single squad is pretty amazing," he said. (Read more )
IPL will help me grow as a cricketer, says Parvez Rasool
After becoming the first Jammu and Kashmir player to be selected in an Indian Premier League team in 2013, Parvez Rasool is now ready for his second stint in the T20 league and reckons that the presence of star players in his team will help him grow as a cricketer.
The off-spinning all-rounder, who has been bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 95 lakh, firmly believes that the T20 event is a big stage to make one's presence felt in the national and international market.
"I feel one should grab every opportunity that comes your way and IPL is a perfect platform to showcase one's talent. With so much of television viewership, the world is watching and the selectors also have an eye on the event. It's a great chance for any upcoming cricketer to prove his worth in this T20 extravaganza," Rasool told PTI. (Read more )
A couple of bad apples are now gone from our squad, says RR skipper Watson
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson would have hardly had any time to sulk over his nation's poor show in the recent World T20 tournament in Bangladesh that concluded on April 6, given he has to take over the mantle at Rajasthan Royals in the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League that kicks off in UAE on Wednesday. But that will be the least of his worries.
Rajasthan Royals come into the tournament reeling under the after-affects of the biggest spot-fixing scandals to have hit Indian cricket with two of their players - S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan receiving life bans from the Board of Control for Cricket in India while a third, Ajit Chandila continues to be under investigation.
Two other Royals players Amit Singh and Siddharth Trivedi were banned for five years and one year respectively too. However, Shane Watson believes it's time to turn over a new leaf and is hopeful that the extrication of a 'couple of bad apples' will help the Royals repeat their inaugural IPL title-winning campaign once again. (Read more )
Story first published on: Friday, 18 April 2014 18:06
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