Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Their auction strategy was not proper, as they retained their core players but failed to build a balanced squad. The performances from last season could play a big role in deciding SRH retention list.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, SRH will have to make changes. They may release some of their overpriced players and fix the gaps in the squad.
Let’s take a look at three factors that could decide SRH retention list ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction.
Sunrisers Hyderabad might have a tough call to make ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, as skipper Pat Cummins’ availability remains uncertain. He has been recovering from a lumbar stress injury suffered during the series against West Indies and has already been ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth.
With the T20 World Cup scheduled next year, Australia will try to manage Cummins’ workload carefully and may avoid taking risks with his fitness. This could create doubts about whether he will play the IPL 2026 season. While SRH will be hopeful of having their captain fit and available, the franchise will be aware that Australian players like Mitchell Starc have often prioritised international cricket over franchise commitments in similar situations.
ALSO READ:
SRH have an aggressive top order, but they lack solid options for the finisher’s role. Abhinav Manohar was tried in that position during IPL 2025, playing eight matches and batting in five innings, where he managed only 61 runs. He couldn’t make much impact.
Another option, Aniket Verma, was used in the middle order and had a decent season, so he’s likely to be retained. However, for IPL 2026, SRH will need to strengthen their finishing options. Even if they keep Manohar, it won’t be enough as they will have to find a reliable finisher in the auction to avoid facing the same problem as last season.
In IPL 2025, Nitish Kumar Reddy mostly batted at No.5 or No.6 but couldn’t perform well, scoring only 182 runs in 11 innings. He bowled in three matches and took two wickets.
For the next season, batting him at No. 4 in the lineup might be a better option as it would give him more deliveries to face. He plays spin well, and batting higher up will allow him to make a bigger impact. If he doesn’t bowl much, using him as a pure batter at No.4 could get the best out of him.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
