2024 finalists SunRisers Hyderabad return to the Indian Premier League auction table after missing out on the play-offs last season. In the first half of the campaign, almost everything went wrong for SRH as their batting order just didn’t add up.
Repeated batting failures forced Pat Cummins and his team to change their approach. They moved to a more balanced style of play because they could not afford to throw caution to the wind on pitches that did not consistently encourage aggressive batting.
A miserable first half meant that SRH were placed in the bottom two at one stage. It finally started to come together in the second half and they finished with four wins from six games. They lost only one match, against Gujarat Titans, and had no result against Delhi Capitals, a match in which they were heavy favorites thereafter. restricting DC to just 133 runs in the first innings.
Why is this context important?
As we head into the IPL auction, it is important to understand SRH’s situation. Despite their struggles, the team managed to play the style of cricket they wanted in the second half of the season. This suggests that they might not need to make major changes to their broader philosophy.
SRH will focus on manning key positions and are likely to continue the style that brought them unprecedented success in the early stages of the 2024 season.
Which players have released SRH?
SunRisers Hyderabad have shown balance in their release strategy. They traded Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants in an all-cash deal and parted ways with several of their key spin options.
They also released several Indian players who were considered surplus to their needs.
List of published SRH
Fast bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Simarjeet Singh
Spinners: Adam Zampa, Rahul Chahar
Versatile: Wiaan Mulder, Atharva Taide
Doughs: Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby
Which players have retained SRH?
SRH have retained most of their core as they look to continue the brand of cricket that has defined them over the past two seasons. One of the major changes they made in 2025 was the promotion of Heinrich Klaasen to the No. 3 or No. 4 position, which helped stabilize their batting in the middle overs.
However, this change came too late in the season. SRH finished sixth, three points behind Mumbai Indians, who clinched the final play-off spot.
List of retained SRH
Batsmen: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, R Smaran
Fast bowlers: Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga
All-rounders: Aniket Verma, Nitish Reddy, Kamindu Mendis
Goalkeepers: Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen
Wrist spinner: Zeeshan Ansari
Off spinner: Harsh Dubey
SRH Remaining Purse for IPL 2026 Auction
Remaining purse: Rs 25.50 crore
Remaining seats: 10 (including 2 overseas)
What does SRH need in the IPL auction?
Spinning machines
The most obvious requirement for SRH is a leg spinner. Since Rashid Khan’s departure, they have struggled to find a match winner. Last season, Adam Žampa played only two games and gave up 11.75 runs per over. A season before that, Wanindu Hasaranga retired after being bought for Rs 1.5 crore.
There are some top spinners available this year, although many of them were part of the SRH set-up earlier. Hasaranga and Ravi Bishnoi are standout options and SRH have the budget to push for the ten million signing if needed.
The dynamics of the auction will matter, especially as teams like Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are also expected to target multi-dimensional spin options.
Specialized paver
Apart from the spinner, SRH need a finisher who can support Heinrich Klaasen in the final overs. They can look at an overseas option like David Miller or look for an Indian player like Sarfaraz Khan. Given their already young Indian core, they may not favor another young Indian batter.
They may also consider a multi-dimensional option like Michael Bracewell or Dunith Wellalage, players who contribute with both bat and ball.
India’s premier fast bowler
SRH need a replacement for Mohammed Shami, making fast bowling the next priority area. The auction pool includes several promising Indian quicks and SRH are likely to target at least one of them with a significant bid.
Players SRH may target in IPL 2026 auction
Spinning machines: Ravi Bishnoi, Adam Zampa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage
FinishersStarring: Michael Bracewell, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller
Fast bowlers: Akash Deep, KM Asif, Matt Henry
SRH: 5 targets in IPL auction
Ravi Bishnoi: SRH need a leg spinner and there is no one better than Ravi Bishnoi in the market. A crafty spinner who can aim well defensively, Bishnoi could be one of the top contenders in this year’s auction.
Michael Bracewell: Michael Bracewell is a handy batsman and a good lower order batter. He can provide balance between SRH’s batting and bowling line-up.
David Miller: SRH have a vacancy for an overseas player. David Miller might just be the type of player SRH need once their hyper-aggressive plans fail in the game.
KM Asif: The Kerala pacer is a good bowler who hits the ball very hard. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for SRH to comb someone like this and unleash him in one or two games.
Akash Deep: Akash Deep is an experienced batsman but he hasn’t quite made it in the T20 side of things. At the base price, he could be a good backup.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
December 15, 2025
