Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals IPL Tips: Buttler could serve it up

• Toss bias alert

• Runs could be a short

• Buttler boosted to 23/10

Sunrisers Hyderbad v Rajasthan Royals
Sunday 2 April, 11.00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

Sunrisers must wait for their South African contingent to arrive. Skip Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen all involved in South Africa's ODI series against Netherlands. Such is the strength of their squad, however, that only Markram may be missed. Jansen and Klaasen might not make their strongest XI. Nor may Washington Sundar, who could come in for a start.

Possible XI: Agarwal, Abhishek, Tripathi, Brook, Phillips, Samad, Sundar, A Rashid, B Kumar, Umran, Natarajan

Rajasthan may have Jason Holder available for game one which means they should be able to select their strongest XI. Punters must hope that they don't consider Joe Root part of it. It's hard to see how he enhances this side.

Possible XI: Buttler Jaiswal, Samson, Paddikal, Hetmyer, Parag, Holder, Ashwin, Chahal, Boult, Saini

Pitch report

Since 2018 the average score at Hyderabad in the first-innings is 167 . To win, you need a score of 168. It's likely that a par line will be set in the mid 170s so the shrewdies will be shorting. Since 2017 there is a chunky toss bias for the side batting first at 60%.

How to play

The match odds market is struggling to split two teams we consider major contenders. Man for man that is fair enough. Even more so when you consider the toss bias.

If there is to be an edge, it may be with Sunrisers, who are 2.0621/20. There's not a data history of spinners - other than Rashid Khan of course - tieing down teams here so Sunrisers may look to attack Ravi Ashwin and Yuz Chahal.

Tops value

Jos Buttler has an insane hit rate of 50% on top bat. Sportsbook, of course, would never go short. Sportsbook have been good enough to boost his price to 23/10.

The 7/2 that Riyals win the match and Buttler top scores may prove popular. Likewise the 6s that he is player of the match. We do need to point out the possibility that Ashwin could be promoted up the order as he was on at times last term. He is 50s.