New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Former India captain Anil Kumble believes Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) hold a clear edge over Rajasthan Royals in Wednesday’s IPL 2026 Eliminator, saying Hyderabad possesses greater depth and more match-winners across departments.

Analysing the knockout clash at the PCA New International Stadium in Chandigarh, Kumble said SRH’s balanced squad makes them favourites against a Rajasthan side heavily dependent on a handful of players.

“If you compare the two teams man for man, SRH have more match-winners. Rajasthan, on the other hand, relies heavily on a few individuals – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Jofra Archer,” Kumble told Jio Hotstar.

The former India coach added that Rajasthan’s fortunes could largely depend on whether their key players deliver in the pressure game.

“If those three don’t fire, their batting and bowling both look thin. That could be the difference in a knockout game,” he added.

Kumble also pointed to the league-stage clash between the two sides earlier this season as a major turning point in SRH’s campaign. He highlighted the impact made by young pacers Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, who made their IPL debuts in that match.

“The game that Sunrisers Hyderabad would remember dearly is the one against Rajasthan Royals of the league phase, where Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain made their IPL debuts. That was a turning point for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season,” Kumble noted.

“Before that game, they had a different playing combination. After bringing in those young bowlers, they found a winning formula. Hinge and Hussain tore through RR’s top order in that game,” he added.

Kumble further suggested SRH could once again look towards Hinge for the Eliminator and hinted that the youngster may replace Harshal Patel in the playing XI.

“So I expect SRH might go with Hinge again in place of Harshal Patel for the eliminator. Hinge also dismissed Vaibhav Suryavanshi in his first game, which gives him a psychological edge going into the eliminator,” he said.

The winner of the Eliminator will stay alive in the IPL playoffs race, while the losing side will exit the tournament.

–IANS

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