Can Smaran Ravichandran's Debut Solve SRH's Batting Woes In IPL 2025 Match vs MI?

Debashis Sarangi

R Smaran joined SRH as Zampa's replacement [Source: AP, @srhfansofficial/X]R Smaran joined SRH as Zampa's replacement [Source: AP, @srhfansofficial/X]

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in match number 33 of the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The much-anticipated encounter will be played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 

Recently, SRH made a significant change to their IPL 2025 squad, replacing injured spinner Adam Zampa with promising batter Smaran Ravichandran. The move raised a million eyeballs, as fans had expected a like-for-like replacement for the Australian spinner. 

Why Did SRH Pick R Smaran As A Replacement?

Criterion
Maharaja T20
SMAT 2024
VHT 2024
Innings967
Runs302170433
Average 43.143472.17
SR145.19212.50100.23

(R Smaran's recent stats in white-ball cricket)

  • Ravichandran Smaran became a household name for his meteoric rise in the 2024-25 domestic season. 
  • After hammering 302 runs at a belligerent strike rate of 145.19, the southpaw struck 170 runs off six outings, striking at 212.50 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 
  • He showcased remarkable consistency in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, amassing 433 runs at a superb average of 72.17 and a strike rate of 100.23. 
  • Thus, he managed to impress the SRH think tank with his remarkable batting prowess, eventually securing a lucrative IPL contract. 

R Smaran In For Adam Zampa; What Does The Swap Mean?

SRH management's decision to replace an outgoing overseas wrist spinner with a domestic batter surprised fans as well as experts. However, a batting unit that has faltered multiple times against all odds could only be strengthened by such a strategic swap. 

Despite having a power-packed lineup studded with Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen and young sensation Aniket Verma, SRH couldn't live up to the hype, posting underwhelming scores on several occasions. 

Therefore, with their key batters not stepping up to the occasion, SRH might have clear intentions to give Smaran an opportunity, sooner or later in the IPL 2025. 

Nitish, Ishan's Inconsistency Aggravates SRH's Problem

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ishan Kishan are two batters who have disappointed the Orange Army a lot in the tournament. Barring a hundred in the very first game, Ishan has managed only 30 runs at a horrendous average of 7.5 in the last four matches. 

Meanwhile, Nitish has failed to convert his starts into significant scores, slamming 112 runs at an ordinary average of 22.40 and a strike rate of 119.15.

What Does The Future Look Like For R Smaran?

Led by Pat Cummins, SRH emerged victorious in their previous game, defeating Punjab Kings by eight wickets. Considering they won the last match, the Sunrisers might not change their playing XI for tonight's clash. 

However, it's worth mentioning that Smaran Ravichandran played as a number four batter in the SMAT 2024 as well as Maharaja T20 league. So, he can come in as a replacement if one of Ishan and Reddy sustain their lean run in the tournament. 

So, technically, Smaran's IPL debut could be just around the corner and might ensure solidity in the SRH batting unit, currently plagued by inconsistency.