Cricket
IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals Preview: Tips, Odds and Prediction
Match 2 of IPL 2025 sees last season’s runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad hosting Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on March 23. With the excitement of Indian Premier League cricket betting in full swing, fans are comparing IPL betting sites to find the best odds. Read our in-depth preview before betting on the Indian Premier League.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head//Getty Images
The second match of IPL offers Rajasthan Royals a chance for revenge after their defeat in Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season.
Meanwhile, SRH would be aiming for a strong start to their campaign with a goal of going all the way in this edition after falling short in the 2024 final.
Both teams would be keen to test their championship credentials early on and are likely to field strong elevens to claim a first-game opening victory.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals Match Details
Date: March 23, 2025
Starting time: 15.30 (Indian Standard Time)
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket (Uppal) Stadium, Hyderabad
Last meeting: Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs (May 24, 2024).
SportsBoom has looked at the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals online betting odds and predictions for this upcoming IPL clash.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Sunrisers the Favourites
Home: 7/10 (1.7) - 58.8%
Away: 6/5 (2.2) - 45.5%
Odds courtesy of Betway - subject to change.
Head-to-Head Record
Last five meetings (Indian Premier League)
May 24, 2024: Sunrisers won by 36 runs
May 2, 2024: Sunrisers won by 1 run
May 7, 2023: Sunrisers won by 4 wickets
Apr 2, 2023: Royals won by 72 runs
Mar 29, 2022: Royals won by 61 runs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Current Squad
Key Players to Watch
- Pat Cummins: After leading his team to a second-place finish last season, the lanky Australian fast bowler will be expected to lead the line again in 2025 as captain and take them one step further. His ability to claim crucial wickets has made him central to the SRH bowling attack.
- Travis Head: Another Australian is also being relied upon for the batting line-up. Head had an impressive 2024, scoring the highest total boundaries in the 2024 IPL and ending the tournament as the top scorer with 567 runs. The ability to inject quick runs makes him a valuable asset, with Sunrisers happy to retain his services.
- Mohammed Shami: A newcomer to the team this season, the Indian pace bowler has a wealth of experience and is often relied on for the death overs. Shami is one of his country’s most reliable fast bowlers and his ability to swing the ball makes him a threatening prospect for any opposing IPL teams to face.
Rajasthan Royals: Current Squad
Key Players to Watch
- Sanju Samson: The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman and captain of the Royals has maintained consistent form for his franchise, leading his team to Qualifier 2 last year thanks to 531 runs in 16 matches. His experience in the top order often helps RR start their innings’ strongly.
- Jofra Archer: The English fast bowler rejoined Rajasthan after the 2025 IPL Auction and is set to wreak havoc on opposition batsmen. His lethal pace and seam positioning add unpredictability to his deliveries and his experience in pressure overs would be an important asset for his new team.
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The youngest player ever signed by an IPL franchise, the Indian batsman is stated to be just 13 years old (although that age has been disputed to be inaccurate). He scored a century from 58 balls on debut for India U19 and his power hitting could bolster the Royals’ line-up.
Predicted Line-Ups
Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Travis Head (This Australian opener has an explosive batting style)
- Abhishek Sharma (A balancing force in the opening pairing with good versatility)
- Ishan Kishan (A newcomer to the team who excels at scoring quickly)
- Heinrich Klaasen (This South African batsman is relied on to anchor the innings)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy (This all-rounder contributes with the bat and ball)
- Abhinav Manohar (A middle order batsman who would be keen to prove himself)
- Pat Cummins (This Australian excels as a bowler and can stabilise the innings as a batsman)
- Harshal Patel (A pace bowler who utilises many variations)
- Rahul Chahar (This tricky spin bowler is a regular wicket-taker)
- Adam Zampa (The Australian is another newcomer and gives SRH the ability to play spin from both ends)
- Mohammed Shami (A veteran pace bowler who excels in pressure overs).
Rajasthan Royals
- Yashasvi Jaiswal (An aggressive and experienced opener)
- Sanju Samson (The captain leads from the front with consistent scores)
- Nitish Rana (A newcomer who bats well and also offers bowling options)
- Riyan Parag (A true impact player who can score rapidly)
- Shimron Hetmyer (This West Indies star is a strong striker of the ball)
- Dhruv Jurel (This wicketkeeper-batsman offers middle order stability)
- Wanindu Hasaranga (A Sri Lankan newcomer skilled with the bat and ball)
- Jofra Archer (An English fast bowler boasting accuracy, pace and swing)
- Maheesh Theekshana (Another Sri Lankan newcomer with spin variations)
- Sandeep Sharma (A pace bowler often brought in to disrupt partnerships)
- Tushar Deshpande (This fast bowler is relied upon in pressure overs).
Suggested Bets
If you enjoy betting on the Indian Premier League, here are some bets you can place at some of the top IPL betting sportsbooks:
Most sixes - Sunrisers Hyderabad: Considering Sunrisers’ record-breaking totals in 2024 and Travis Head striking the most boundaries in last year’s tournament, this match will likely produce many big hits from the hosts (17/20 with Betway) (17/20 with Stake)
Will There Be a Boundary in Over - 1: Regardless of which team wins the toss and sets the total, the more aggressive approach of batsmen in the T20 format makes it likely a four or six will be struck (3/10 with Betandyou) (3/10 with BetWinner)
First Boundary in Match - 4: Despite the intense nature of IPL clashes, batsmen are more likely to hit their opening boundary with less risk. This means that a four is expected to be the first boundary in the game (3/25 with Betandyou) (3/25 with BetWinner)
Value Bets
The Toss: Winning the toss is a major advantage for a team as the choice of whether to set a target or chase a total down can be crucial. SRH and RR enter the game with the same chances (19/20 with Betandyou) (19/20 with Bettilt) (19/20 with BetWinner)
Team with Top Batter - Sunrisers Hyderabad: The presence of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen in the top order makes SRH an attractive option to produce the game’s best batting performance (3/4 with Betway) (3/4 with Stake) (4/5 with Bettilt)
Team with Highest Score at First Dismissal - Rajasthan Royals: With Yashasvi Jaiswal excelling last season and a veteran in Samson Samson providing stability at the other end, Royals are likely to set the superior first-wicket partnership (4/5 with Stake) (4/5 with Betway)
Prediction: Sunrisers Hyderabad to Win
Sunrisers Hyderabad enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2024 and have bolstered their strong team with talented batsmen and bowlers for the 2025 season. Rajasthan Royals have also proven themselves tough competitors and have spent smartly on their latest additions.
However, per IPL betting tips, head-to-head statistics favour last season’s runners-up to record another win. Sunrisers are likely to get their season off to a positive start with a dominant batting line-up and a combination of pace and spin bowling that could keep Royals guessing.
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.
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