New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have made their journey to the playoffs difficult after suffering an 82-run defeat against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

According to Kaif, SRH will have to win their next match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 18 if they want to push themselves for the top two spot. However, the 45-year-old feels that it will not be easy for the 2016 champions to beat CSK at their home as the conditions are very different.

“CSK away from home will be a tough test for SRH. Adapting to different conditions is key in this tournament, and SRH failed to do that against Gujarat. That could be a talking point in their dressing room. No panic yet, but it’s something they need to address,” Kaif told Jio Hotstar.

“They finish at home against Punjab, where they are comfortable and know the conditions. But if they want to push for a top-two finish, they need to win away against Chennai. CSK are looking good right now. So, SRH have a tough road ahead in their last two games,” he added.

Speaking of the match, coming to bat after losing the toss, the Gujarat Titans suffered early blows and were 64-3 in 9.3 overs, but Sundar and Sai Sudharsan forged a 60-run partnership, which helped the team reach 168 in 20 overs.

Having posted what initially appeared to be a below-par score on a difficult surface, Gujarat bowled SRH out for just 86 in 14.5 overs, with the pace attack exploiting the conditions brilliantly before the spinners finished the job.

Meanwhile, after this defeat, SRH have moved down to the third position in the points table with 14 points in 12 matches. They will next face in form CSK after a six day break before competing with defending champions RCB in their last group stage match on May 22.

–IANS

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