🏏IPL 2025 - Match-10: Delhi Capitals vs SRH, Vizag 3:30 PM IST🏏

Today is a double header day!

🏏IPL 2025 - Match 10: Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Vizag 3:30 PM IST🏏

The Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, known for its vibrant atmosphere, is a venue that has hosted numerous high-stakes matches.

As DC and SRH prepare to face off, the stadium's pitch and weather conditions will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the game.

The moment Ashutosh Sharma smashed one down the ground to seal Delhi Capitals' opening game, he celebrated with an imaginary switch-hit, dedicating the victory to team mentor Kevin Pietersen.

The DC dugout erupted in joy, and their skipper made it clear that this aggressive approach was here to stay. "Get used to it now. Under my captaincy, it's going to be like this only," Axar declared.

On the other side, there's Pat Cummins - renowned for giving his players full license to express themselves and bat with fearless freedom.

The expectations from Sunrisers' batting unit were so high in their previous clash against LSG that even a total of 190 felt underwhelming.

On paper, SRH might boast the stronger batting lineup, but when they take on DC in Vizag, expect a contest packed with all the spice of a high-octane showdown.

A lengthy break since their opening game against Lucknow Super Giants would have allowed DC to settle down and think of strategies to consolidate their winning start. On the other hand, Sunrisers have a short turnaround time from their loss to LSG as they look to avoid successive losses after their five-wicket drubbing at home on Thursday.

Rishabh Pant was brave enough to ask Sunrisers to bat, and the bowlers justified his call at the toss with a clever performance to stun the SRH batting arsenal. Will DC, if they win the toss, be bold enough to put SRH into bat in Vizag where the square boundaries are relatively short?

While DC will be boosted by the return of KL Rahul, their top order performance in their last game is a cause for concern considering none of their top five touched 30 while chasing 210 against LSG (three of them being single-digit scores).

It's a stat they would love to correct on Sunday while SRH too would want to put behind the below-par batting show against LSG as an aberration and get back to their merry run-making ways.

DC vs SRH IPL 2025 Pitch Report The pitch in Visakhapatnam is expected to be in the favour of the batters, a high-scoring game will be on the cards. On the other hand, the pitch can provide some help to the spinners. In the previous match played at this venue, DC clinched the one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants.

Vizag is renowned for its balanced pitch, offering opportunities for both batters and bowlers. Historically, the surface has been conducive to batting, with an average first-innings score of 167 in IPL matches. However, bowlers who can vary their pace and use the conditions smartly can also find success here.

Average First Innings Score: 167

Highest Team Total: 272/7 (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Lowest Team Score: 92/10 (Mumbai Indians)

Weather Forecast The weather in Visakhapatnam is expected to be warm, with temperatures ranging from 28°C to 25°C during match hours. A clear sky is anticipated, ensuring no interruptions due to rain. The cool evening breeze might provide some relief to players and fans alike. However, the high humidity levels, ranging from 72% to 85%, could impact player performance and field conditions.

Team Watch:

Delhi Capitals

Injury and Availability: KL Rahul has joined the squad after the birth of his daughter and is all set to make his DC debut. Sameer Rizvi is likely to make way for him in the middle order.

Tactics and Matchups: Mitchell Starc, playing for KKR, dismissed both openers once in the 11 balls he bowled against them last season. The star pacer, who also conceded only 7 runs against the SRH openers, will be keen to make an early impact again.

Probable XII: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), KL Rahul, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Injury and Availability: Skipper Cummins made no changes against LSG after their opening game and it is highly likely that they could stick to the same combination. There are no injury concerns for the team at the moment.

Tactics and Matchups: Kuldeep Yadav's 22 deliveries to Heinrich Klaasen in T20s were all wicketless, with 39 coming off them. Meanwhile, Kuldeep has a better record against the SRH top order, having dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan twice each, and Travis Head once, and DC might look at using him slightly early in the game.

Probable XII: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Varma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa

What to expect: 34 fours and 29 sixes were hit in the previous game here in Vizag. If that is anything to go by, bowlers will have to brace for yet another exhausting day. The overhead conditions look bright and clear and no rain is expected for the entire duration of the game. The temperature is expected to hover around 30s and the evening breeze should bring some relief for the team fielding second.

Head to Head: SRH 13- 11 DC. SRH won 2 of the last 3 fixtures since IPL 2023. Interestingly, all the three recent fixtures between these teams have been won by the team batting first.

The DC vs SRH match is set to be a spectacle, with both teams eager to secure a win. The weather conditions, injury concerns, and the presence of key players like KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc for DC, and Travis Head and Pat Cummins for SRH, will be crucial factors. Fans are buzzing with excitement, anticipating a match filled with intense competition and memorable performances. This match marks the beginning of an exciting IPL 2025 season filled with intense rivalries and unforgettable moments.

Did you know?

- Jake Fraser-McGurk scored 330 runs in nine innings in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 234.04 and averaged 36.66. Since then, he has scored only 382 runs in 24 T20 innings, at a strike rate of 136.91 with an average of 15.91.

- Abhishek Sharma has the best strike-rate (197.3) against spin in IPL since 2023 among all the batters who have faced at least 100 balls.

- Harshal Patel is the leading wicket-taker in IPL since 2021, having picked up 92 wickets in 60 matches at an average of 20.23 with an economy of 8.78.

KL Rahul is set to make his DC debut as he has rejoined the squad following the birth of his daughter. With Rahul set to come in, DC will look to fit him in the Playing XI, with Sameer Rizvi likely making way for the former LSG skipper. Rahul is likely to play in the middle-order, as earlier suggested by reports, but nothing is set in stone currently.

After defeating Lucknow Super Giants in a last-over thriller, DC will be looking to carry on their momentum against SRH, who have lost their game to LSG.

What they said:

"Last year was really good but that's history for me. I have taken the positives from there and worked on myself, to improve whatever weaknesses I had. I'm applying what I did in domestic cricket" - Ashutosh Sharma, after his match-winning knock against LSG.

"You know, he's got some natural pace, he can move the ball through the air and if you're putting those two things together that obviously becomes quite an attractive skill set for a fast bowler to have and he's also got a few tricks up his sleeve with slower ball variations," James Franklin, pace bowling coach of SRH, on Simarjeet Singh.

Here are some of the battles to look forward to which can decide the course of the game.

Travis Head vs Mitchell Starc

One of the key battles to watch in this game is between Travis Head and Mitchell Starc during the powerplay overs. In the previous Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024, Starc managed to send Head back to the pavilion with a two-ball duck, so Head will definitely be looking to get back at him this time. The good news for him is that he has been on fire lately, boasting a striking rate of 199.20 in the first six overs of IPL 2025. It’ll be exciting to see if he can keep that momentum going against Starc.