With SunRisers Hyderabad beginning their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore in a potentially high-powered contest in Dubai. Among the front-runners on the SRH side will be David Warner, back as skipper and gunning to go. While he will be a severe challenge for the RCB fast bowlers, it could well fall on the wily Yuzvendra Chahal to ensure that he does not create havoc in the middle overs, if Warner gets past the fast bowlers. Chahal could well need his chess player’s finesse to counter the bludgeoning power game of Warner – quite an interesting little face-off.

Warner was up and ahead when SRH won the IPL title in 2016 and once again, he will be seeking glory. He has been one of the top hitters of the cricket ball and the UAE will pose fresh challenges about that.

But with 4706 from 126 matches with four centuries and 44 half-centuries, Warner could walk into any side. Add to that the strike rate of 142.39.

Chahal has exactly 100 IPL wickets from 84 IPL games at a very respectable economy of 7.78. He will be hoping from some purchase from the track, since with all the new rules about how to treat the cricket ball, plus the potential for dew, it could be a stiff challenge, especially against someone like Warner.

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So when the hammer meet the scalpel, it may look like an uneven contest. But all that Chahal needs is a little chink in Warner’s armour and we could have a real contest.

Note: All stats courtesy iplt20.com