With all the focus on Mumbai Indians during the toss for the IPL 2021 match between MI and SRH in Abu Dhabi, the surprise was in the other camp as Manish Pandey will captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in the absence of Kane Williamson. This will be the 32-year-old’s first game as a captain of the franchise after being a part of their set-up since the 2018 season. SRH vs MI Live Score Updates of VIVO IPL 2021.

With Sunrisers Hyderabad destined to finish bottom of the Indian Premier League 2021, Manish Pandey will be hoping that he can cause an upset in his first game as an SRH captain against the playoff-chasing Mumbai Indians. The record champions have an uphill task as they look to secure a top-four finish by overtaking Kolkata Knight Riders, who are currently placed in that final position.

Why is Manish Pandey Captaining SRH Against MI in IPL 2021?

Manish Pandey will be captain SRH for the first time as regular captain Kane Williamson is available for the clash. The Kiwi took over the captaincy mid-season from David Warner but hasn’t been able to turn around his team’s performances as they will finish IPL 2021 as the bottom-placed side.

During the toss, Manish Pandey revealed that Kane Williamson has a slight niggle and has been rested for the final fixture of the season. The New Zealand skipper has been dealing with an elbow issue and has been given time off as a precaution with T20 World Cup on the horizon.

SRH Playing XI

And with a poor display this season, the decision of change in captaincy for the final match could also come as an audition for Manish Pandey, who is one of the senior-most players in the squad. SRH have had captaincy issues all season and with new addition of new teams and change in rules, the management could take this opportunity to groom the 32-year-old into a leader for the upcoming edition.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 08, 2021 07:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).