The franchise has traded Mohammed Shami to the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) know just one way of going about their game, and they have made it evident across the last couple of seasons. The team has been exhibiting an aggressive approach in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since Pat Cummins was appointed the captain of the franchise. However, the management will be focused on acquiring the right set of players in the IPL 2026 auction.
The last IPL season was when the law of averages kicked in for SRH, as the franchise experienced a very jittery season in the league. They finished sixth on the points table, winning only six of their 14 league matches. Ahead of the next season, the Orange Army have retained most of their core players and look well set to ace the season and bounce back stronger.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Sunrisers Hyderabad – the SRH targets, their squad, remaining purse and the probable auction picks & strategy ahead of the 19th edition of the coveted tournament.
The 2016 IPL champions released two of their premier leg-spinners in Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar, ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Moreover, they traded Mohammed Shami to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which was the highlight of their trade window. The full Sunrisers Hyderabad players list will be updated soon after the auction on December 16, which is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.
The franchise giving away Mohammed Shami to LSG in an all-cash deal would mean that they now need to acquire a speedster who would be reliable with the new ball, and also at the death. To add to that, the Orange Army have let go of both Rahul Chahar and Adam Zampa, leaving Zeeshan Ansari as their premier spinner. Hence, they will go after a lead spinner as well.
It would be interesting to see if the 2016 IPL champions go after a power-hitter, especially someone like David Miller, who can tonk the ball. They do have Heinrich Klaasen and the likes of Aniket Verma for that role, but whether they intend to invest in a power-hitter, which they can with the purse available, would be an interesting sight to look at.
The SRH targets at the IPL 2026 auction would focus on filling the following roles.
One of the main reasons they released both Zampa and Rahul Chahar would be to attract another quality spinner in their ranks. After the releases, the only spinner on the side would be Zeeshan Ansari. Abhishek Sharma can surely roll his arm over, but cannot promise four overs. Hence, the SRH management would be behind acquiring a proper lead spinner for the season.
They sure do have the services of Heinrich Klaasen, who can go hammer and tongs at the death, but the management would feel the need to acquire the services of another hard-hitter. Someone like David Miller would be their prime target for the spot, considering their purse, which is INR 25.5 crore. The team can also look for someone like Liam Livingstone to propel themselves towards competitive totals.
To be updated on Auction day, i.e. December 16, 2025.
The SRH management will have to figure out the best possible XI in terms of the combinations that they have. Here’s what the team looks like ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Overall, the squad looks well-balanced from the outset for the 2016 IPL champions. That being said, there are some minor loopholes to be filled at the auction by the management in order to ensure that the Orange Army has the best balance heading into the tournament. With the targets mentioned and clear, the franchise will look well set for a top-four finish.
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