DC vs SRH | Preview, Playing XI, Dream11 Fantasy Tips, Pitch Report, Weather Forecast, Winning Prediction

IPL 2025 DC vs SRH: Delhi Capitals Look to Ride Momentum as KL Rahul Gears Up for Franchise Debut

The Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 2025 showdown promises to be a high-voltage contest as both teams clash in match 10 of IPL 2025 at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Coming off a nail-biting one-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants, the Capitals will look to build on their momentum and finish their Vizag leg with another win. But Sunrisers Hyderabad, with their explosive top order and aggressive style under Pat Cummins, will be desperate to bounce back after a humbling loss to the same LSG side.

This match will also see KL Rahul’s Delhi Capitals debut, and the seasoned wicketkeeper-batter is expected to bring stability and experience to a top order that faltered in their opener. As the evening breeze sweeps through the Vizag stadium, all signs point to a high-scoring contest one where individual brilliance and tactical finesse will determine the outcome.

KL Rahul's Return a Timely Boost for Delhi Capitals

Much of the pre-match spotlight is on KL Rahul’s Delhi Capitals debut. Back from paternity leave, Rahul joins a DC batting unit that badly needs composure at the top. Their thrilling chase against LSG may have ended in smiles, but the early collapse 66 for 5 revealed vulnerabilities that cannot be overlooked.

With Rahul likely to slot in at No. 4, his presence gives the Capitals a dependable anchor, especially in case the top three struggle again. His career numbers at No. 4 are impressive: an average nearing 50 and a strike rate just shy of 140. However, given Jake Fraser-McGurk’s dip in form and Rahul’s history as a destructive opener, there’s also a case for promoting him to partner Faf du Plessis at the top.

Wherever he bats, Rahul’s return adds quality and depth, and his experience could prove vital against a varied SRH attack that includes Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, and Adam Zampa.

Delhi's Grit vs SRH’s Firepower: A Contest of Contrasts

The IPL 2025 DC vs SRH contest is more than just two points it’s a clash of philosophies. Delhi under Axar Patel are leaning into fearless cricket, a mindset best captured in Ashutosh Sharma’s audacious match-winning six followed by an imaginary switch-hit in tribute to mentor Kevin Pietersen. Axar made it clear: this brand of cricket is here to stay.

On the flip side, Pat Cummins has fostered a similarly aggressive culture at SRH. With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma up top, and the ever-dangerous Heinrich Klaasen in the middle, Sunrisers boast firepower capable of demolishing bowling attacks. However, they’ve struggled for rhythm particularly in their loss to LSG, where even a total of 190 felt underwhelming.

Key to Delhi’s strategy will be their bowling Mitchell Starc vs Travis Head is the marquee contest. Starc dismissed Head in Qualifier 1 last season with a jaffa that started a collapse, and the Australian quick has the psychological edge heading into this match. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel’s matchups against SRH’s middle order could also prove pivotal, particularly with spin-friendly conditions in the middle overs.

Pitch and Conditions at Vizag: Expect Another Run-Fest

The ACA-VDCA Stadium has lived up to its reputation for runs. The previous IPL game at this venue saw 34 fours and 29 sixes, and Sunday is likely to serve another batting spectacle. The pitch offers even bounce and the square boundaries are short perfect conditions for stroke play.

The weather is set to be warm with temperatures in the low 30s, but an evening breeze should offer some respite for bowlers. With dew likely to settle in the second innings, the toss could play a key role, and both teams might look to chase.

Given the venue’s nature and recent trends, fantasy cricket enthusiasts would do well to stack their Dream11 lineups with top-order batters and finishers. For this DC vs SRH Dream11 prediction, Mark your probable top performers: Mitchell Starc, Heinrich Klaasen, Axar Patel, and Ashutosh Sharma.

Predicted XIs and Tactical Insights

For Delhi, if Mukesh Kumar recovers from his ankle sprain, he will retain his place. If not, Darshan Nalkande is likely to step in. Sameer Rizvi is expected to make way for KL Rahul. Another possibility is dropping Fraser-McGurk entirely and using Dushmantha Chameera to reinforce the bowling.

SRH are unlikely to make changes, as they’ve stuck with their XI so far. The top order remains explosive, and with Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel operating in the death, their bowling unit still commands respect.

Delhi Capitals Probable XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), KL Rahul, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar/Darshan Nalkande.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa.

Score Prediction and Match Outlook

With the pitch favoring batters, expect a first innings total in the range of 190–210. If Delhi bat first, their middle-order firepower could help them push past 200, especially if KL Rahul finds his rhythm early. If SRH bat first, the Head-Abhishek combo could dictate terms in the powerplay.

Given current form and team balance, Delhi Capitals might hold a slight edge if they bowl first and execute plans against SRH’s openers. But if Sunrisers get going early, their ability to post mammoth scores makes them dangerous.

Winning Prediction: Slight advantage to Delhi Capitals if they bowl first. If SRH bat first and reach 190+, they become strong favorites.

Interesting Match Facts

• Mitchell Starc vs Travis Head: Head averages just 7.5 against Starc in T20s, having been dismissed twice in four innings.

• Abhishek Sharma has the highest strike rate (197.3) against spin since 2023 among batters with 100+ balls.

• Harshal Patel has taken more IPL wickets than any other bowler since 2021 (92 wickets in 60 matches).

• Jake Fraser-McGurk, after a standout 2024 IPL, has struggled recently with only 382 runs in his last 24 T20 innings.

• All three recent DC vs SRH matches have been won by the team batting first.