Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) sought several dynamic batters and bought useful bowlers who could do the job in the IPL 2025 auction.
After a revolutionary Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, the IPL 2025 auction came at the worst time for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). They had a settled unit, with most bases covered, but had to break their combination.
Still, they were clear about their plans and retained five players before the auction, keeping their big hitters and the captain. Even during the auction, SRH sought several dynamic batters and bought useful bowlers who could do the job.
Their squad looks decent, with improvements from the previous season in a few departments. They would be pleased with how they have assembled a strong unit.
Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Wiaan Mulder, Kamindu Mendis, Aniket Verma, Eshan Malinga, Sachin Baby.
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Every IPL side has a few loopholes and Sunrisers Hyderabad are no different. While they have formed a quality unit, SRH have a few issues that are too glaring to ignore.
While Ishan Kishan is a quality player, he might be a misfit in SRH XI for multiple reasons. His best position is at the top to open the innings. But SRH have two set openers in Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, leaving no place for Kishan.
Kishan excels at utilising the powerplay overs and providing brisk starts, as he prioritises aggression over innings construction and strike rotation. Last year, he had an average of 13.50 and a strike rate of 120.89 while playing 32.8% of dot balls outside the powerplay.
Further, he has serious issues against high pace and can be easily cramped with hard lengths. SRH might slot Kishan at No.3, but he averages a mere 19.63 and strikes at 120 in 11 IPL outings at this position.
So, his batting in the middle overs doesn’t look promising, especially after the recent downfall. His inclusion makes the top-order one-dimensional, with all LHBs in the top three, another issue in Kishan’s acquisition.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have bought Mohammed Shami as a powerplay specialist and he might do his job consistently. However, the question arises who partners him with the new ball?
If Pat Cummins decides to share the new ball, SRH are left without an enforcer in the middle overs. While Harshal Patel can give a few overs, he doesn’t hit the deck and mostly relies on variations to construct his over.
At this stage, Cummins’ best bowling value is in the powerplay, where he can move the new ball and bring wickets upfront. His partnership with Shami will make a solid powerplay outfit, but that will leave a void in the middle overs.
With the pitches getting flat, especially in Hyderabad, an enforcer is necessary more than ever. The enforcer should bowl at a high pace and target the body consistently.
While Cummins can bowl at any stage, he can’t operate in both phases and needs to keep a few for the end overs. So, SRH might have missed a trick by not getting another quality speedster for one of these departments.
While Sunrisers Hyderabad bought two good leg spinners in Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar, they didn’t focus on getting a solid finger spinner. They have the likes of Abhishek and Travis, but they can be vulnerable on flat surfaces since they are not regular bowlers.
Kamindu Mendis is another part-time spinner, but he is unlikely to play due to other big names in the overseas department. They had the likes of Shahbaz Ahmed and Aiden Markram in the previous cycle, who were a massive upgrade.
SRH had a chance to sign a finger spinner when Brydon Carse was injured. But they went for another pace-bowling all-rounder, Wiaan Mulder. So, the reliance will be high on Abhishek and Travis to fill in as matchup bowlers, which can backfire big time.
George Linde would have been a great fit, especially with the added value of his improved batting. Filling this gap is impossible since SRH don’t have enough part-time options for this category either.
By slotting Nitish Kumar Reddy at No.3, SRH will break the chain of LHBs and put Kishan at a number he has previously played. Kishan has 594 runs at an average of 28.28 and a strike rate of 129.97 in 23 IPL innings, including three fifties.
Kishan can take on spinners and his role should be to unsettle slow bowlers by dominating from the start. Even though it isn’t the best use of Kishan, SRH should now look at how they can maximise his presence as he is a big no at No.3.
While Nitish also has issues against high pace, he is more capable than Kishan and a better spin player, making him an ideal No.3.
SRH should play Simarjeet Singh to address the powerplay and middle-over issues as he is suited to be an enforcer. If we look at the squad composition of SRH, they don’t have genuine new-ball bowlers apart from Shami and Cummins.
That will allow Cummins to bowl in his strongest area with the new ball, making use of early movement. Simarjeet, with his pace, can hit hard lengths in the middle overs, as he did for CSK previously.
He is a genuine speedster with a knack for picking wickets and knows how to operate in the middle overs. Among the available options, he is the best fit for this role now that Carse is unavailable.
Lastly, SRH should play Adam Zampa as their second spinner with Rahul Chahar and ignore Wiaan Mulder. Mulder can be wayward at times and doesn’t have enough skillsets to remain economical on flat surfaces for now.
Meanwhile, Zampa is among the finest white-ball bowlers in world cricket. He bowls immaculate lines and lengths and has found ample success for Australia. He can form a solid partnership with Chahar to cover the middle overs.
While Zampa doesn’t entirely solve the finger-spin concerns, he brings quality and wicket-taking ability. Chahar, having struggled in the last two seasons, hasn’t made a significant impact. To compensate for the absence of a reliable finger spinner, SRH need a proven wicket-taker in the middle overs.
Given this limitation, SRH can’t afford mediocrity in the wrist-spin department. The best solution is to play both Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar, prioritising wickets over economy. Although this might lead to conceding extra runs, it’s a necessary trade-off in the absence of a dependable finger spinner.
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