The Optional extras have decided to skip their only training sessions ahead of the IPL 2024 final, where they will face Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Orange Army’s ticket for the final was confirmed yesterday after they won the Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The second qualifier was a truly nail-biting contest where Sanju Samson’s side had the upper hand but Pat Cummins’ men eventually prevailed against all odds.
The final of IPL 2024 will be a repeat of the 1st qualifier of this season. In their only two encounters in the league this season, the Knight Riders have come out on top both times. In fact, in the qualifier, KKR had defeated SRH in a one-sided affair. It will be interesting to see how the two teams play against each other in the final round.
Why do SRH skippers have their training session?
Sunrisers Hyderabad have decided to skip their only net session before the final to take a rest day after the extremely hectic league and play-offs period. SRH has played a lot of matches in the last week and due to the heat and humidity in the city, the team management wants to give the players some valuable time off, as per reports in HT.
This means that SRH will only sharpen up on the morning of the final and during the pre-match warm-up in the evening. This is not only to manage the workload of the players but also to ensure that the players go into the most important game of the tournament with a fresh mind.
SRH’s decision not to attend the training sessions also speaks volumes about the team’s confidence. Pat Cummins has really instilled a solid mindset in the team and they seem ready to challenge for the title. Yesterday’s win marked the first time Hyderabad reached an IPL final since the 2018 season.
The franchise took six seasons to reach the finale and now aims to return with a title.
While SRH skipped their practice session today, Kolkata Knight Riders will reportedly put in extra hours in net sessions. The Shreyas Iyer-led side not only practiced on Friday but is also scheduled for a three-hour net session from 6pm to 9pm.
The team, coached by Gautam Gambhir, is not leaving any stone unturned in its preparation for the final. After all, this is the first time that GG has reached the final as a mentor of a team. He has the chance to be the first player and mentor to win the tournament.
Tomorrow at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, everything will be decided. Will the Orange Army win their second IPL title or will the Knight Riders become the third team in the competition to win three titles?