They have a purse of INR 25.50 crore.
Sunrisers Hyderabad are expected to be one of the most active teams in the IPL 2026 auction. With the third-highest SRH remaining purse standing at INR 25.50 crore, the franchise looks forward to a major overhaul. The SRH top priorities include refining the spin bowling department and a lower middle-order batter who can also contribute with the ball.
One of the key movements during all retentions and releases was the trading of premium pacer Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants. The Sunrisers will have to fill at least three and as many as nine spots, including two overseas options, with strategic additions in key roles. So, let’s take a look at SRH top priorities.
The top-most priority for SRH will be to find strong spin bowling replacements after releasing veteran Australian spinner Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar. While Chahar bowled only one over in his solitary outing last season, Zampa featured in two games and claimed as many wickets at a hefty economy of 11.75 before pulling out due to injury.
With uncapped players Zeeshan Ansari and Harsh Dubey retained, Sunrisers Hyderabad will have to sign at least one experienced spinner to lead the spin attack. Here are two SRH targets.
Wanindu Hasaranga, the Sri Lankan spinner, could be one of the SRH targets as he fits the requirement perfectly. Hasaranga offers four overs of leg-spin and can hit the ball in the lower order. He has been in decent form in 2025, having claimed eight wickets in six matches at an average of 19.5 and an impressive economy of 6.50, while scoring valuable 61 runs at No.8. In IPL 2025, Hasaranga took 11 wickets in as many games at an economy rate of 9.04, including a four-wicket haul.
Ravi Bishnoi is expected to be one of the most expensive picks as several franchises seek an Indian leg-spinner. Bishnoi endured a disappointing last campaign, managing nine wickets in 11 innings at an average of 44.55 and an economy of 10.83.
Another potential reason behind their torrid season was that by the time Sunrisers Hyderabad found the right balance, they were already eliminated. With the release of Wiaan Mulder, a significant void has been created in the SRH 2026 squad as far as team balance is concerned. They will have to shop for at least one overseas all-rounder who can bat and No.7 and provide two overs of pace bowling, if not four. Here are three potential SRH IPL 2026 target players.
The former Windies captain could be on SRH top priorities given his performances in the calendar year since his comeback to the national side. Since June 2025, Holder has scored 255 runs in 23 T20Is at a strike rate of 149.12, while bagging 31 wickets at a modest economy rate of 8.60, including two four-wicket hauls. Given his versatility and recent form, Jason Holder could emerge as a game-changer.
While Cameron Green is expected to go at a hefty price, SRH targets could focus on Aaron Hardie, who could come at a base price. He can swing the new ball and bowl tight lines in the middle overs. Notably, Hardie was previously with the Punjab Kings, but didn’t get a chance to play. In his limited T20I experience for Australia, Hardie has scored 180 runs at 126+ strike rate and picked up 13 wickets at a modest economy of 8.65.
The 28-year-old Sairaj Patil has impressed in the domestic circuit with his explosive batting and seam-up bowling at 130+ clicks. Sairaj delivered some exceptional performances with both bat and ball in the Mumbai T20 league 2025, scoring 233 runs at 150.32 and snaring seven wickets in six matches at an average of 16.29, including a four-wicket haul. In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, Sairaj has claimed six wickets at an average of 12.16 and an economy of 9.12.
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This is another crucial department where the team will need reinforcements after trading out Shami and releasing Simrajeet Singh. Though they have a total of five seamers already in the squad, there are only two Indians among them. Hence, they might need backups in the SRH IPL 2026 target players.
Kuldeep Sen, released by Punjab Kings, can clock 145+ regularly, a rare skill in Indian bowlers. His addition will add diversity in their attack as both Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel’s wicket-taking deliveries are slower balls, and Pat Cummins also relies majorly on slower bouncers in the slog overs. Sen’s IPL numbers further back his case, having claimed 14 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 9.63. Hence, he could be among SRH top priorities.
The 29-year-old Jammu & Kashmir pacer has been in sublime form in domestic cricket. After claiming second-most (29 at 13.27 average) wickets in the first leg of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Nabi has already taken eight wickets (at 8.28 rpo) in three games SMAT 2025. This outstanding form is expected to potentially earn him a maiden IPL contract, having already been called up for trials by franchises like the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. SRH, who require a new ball bowler, could target him at the IPL 2026 auction.
Having released players like Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, and Sachin Baby, one of SRH top priorities would be acquiring a couple of Indian batters who could play as a backup or feature in the playing XI straightaway. Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Ishan Kishan struggled for consistency except for a couple of big knocks in IPL 2025. Though they have retained Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen for firepower, overdependence on top order could expose Sunrisers Hyderabad. Here are two SRH IPL 2026 target players.
Mayank Agarwal, a seasoned opener from Karnataka, has returned to form since his last IPL stint. Last year, Agarwal scored 95 runs at an average of 31, striking at an impressive 148.43. He then hit a century for Yorkshire in the County Championship and carried the momentum in the Ranji Trophy. The right-hander amassed 291 runs in five Ranji matches at an average of 41.57, with two hundreds and a fifty. If he continues his emphatic form, Agarwal could be among SRH IPL 2026 target players to bring stability at the top or as a backup option.
Featured in the KKR released players list, Venkatesh Iyer brings a left-hand batting option to the middle-order, allowing the team management to save Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klassen for the death overs. Iyer’s adaptability and ability to tackle spin in the middle overs make him a formidable No.4, a position where the Sunrisers lacked consistency. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball would further solve their middle overs issues. However, he is expected to go for a bit of a high price in the auction, so the franchise needs to be smarter with their auction strategy.
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