SunRisers Hyderabad’s hopes of topping the IPL 2026 points table were impacted as Nitish Kumar Reddy missed the match against Kolkata Knight Riders due to illness.
SunRisers Hyderabad’s aspirations to ascend to the top of the IPL 2026 points table faced a setback as Nitish Kumar Reddy was sidelined for the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on May 3. Reddy’s absence is one of two significant changes made to the Orange Army’s playing XI for this crucial encounter.
During the toss, SunRisers captain Pat Cummins revealed that Reddy was unable to participate due to an illness. His fitness for the upcoming matches remains uncertain, as he has been a vital player for the team. In the current season, Reddy has scored 193 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 160.83, while also contributing six wickets, particularly excelling as a new-ball bowler.
With Reddy out of the lineup, Ravichandran Smaran has been given the opportunity to step in, while Harshal Patel replaces Harsh Dubey in the squad. The revised playing XI for SunRisers Hyderabad includes Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Pat Cummins (captain), Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Eshan Malinga.
The last encounter between SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders took place earlier in the tournament at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In that match, SunRisers batted first, with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma forming a formidable opening partnership that yielded 82 runs. Heinrich Klaasen also made a significant contribution with a score of 52, while Reddy played a crucial role with a quickfire 39 runs off just 24 balls, helping the team set a daunting target of 227 runs for KKR.
In response, Kolkata struggled to keep pace, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoring 52 runs and Rinku Singh adding 35 off 25 balls. Ultimately, KKR suffered a heavy defeat, losing by 65 runs. As they face SunRisers in Hyderabad, the Knight Riders are in dire need of a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive.
As the match unfolds, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how SunRisers adapt to the absence of Reddy and whether they can secure a win against a determined Kolkata side.
According to The Sunday Guardian, the stakes are high for both teams as they navigate the competitive landscape of IPL 2026.