Following an intense IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have finalized their squad, blending retained core players with strategic new acquisitions. With a remaining purse of INR 25.5 crore heading into the auction, SRH aimed to strengthen their team, focusing on young, uncapped Indian talent and a couple of impactful overseas players.
Retained Players:
SRH opted to retain their core leadership and impactful players from previous seasons. Key retentions included captain Pat Cummins (INR 18 crore), known for his leadership and bowling prowess, and the explosive opening duo of Abhishek Sharma (INR 14 crore) and Travis Head (INR 14 crore). Other retained players are Aniket Verma (INR 30 Lakh), R. Smaran (INR 30 Lakh), Ishan Kishan (INR 11.25 crore), Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (INR 6 crore), Harsh Dubey (INR 30 Lakh), Kamindu Mendis (INR 75 Lakh), Harshal Patel (INR 8 crore), Brydon Carse (INR 1 crore), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1 crore), Eshan Malinga (INR 1.2 crore), and Zeeshan Ansari (INR 40 Lakh).
Players Purchased at the Auction:
The Sunrisers Hyderabad strategically utilized the auction to fill the gaps in their team. They showed confidence in young, uncapped Indian players, securing several promising talents. They also made some high-profile overseas acquisitions. The players purchased at the auction are:
- Liam Livingstone: The biggest buy for SRH was England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, acquired for a hefty INR 13 crore after a fierce bidding war with the Gujarat Titans. Livingstone, initially unsold, sparked a major bidding war in the accelerated round.
- Salil Arora: SRH invested significantly in uncapped Indian player Salil Arora, securing him for INR 1.5 crore from a base price of INR 30 lakh.
- Shivam Mavi: SRH acquired Shivam Mavi for INR 75 lakh.
- Shivang Kumar: SRH added uncapped Indian all-rounder Shivang Kumar for INR 30 lakh.
- Sakib Hussain: SRH picked up Sakib Hussain for INR 30 lakh.
- Onkar Tarmale: Onkar Tarmale was added to the squad for INR 30 lakh.
- Amit Kumar: Amit Kumar also joined the team for INR 30 lakh.
- Praful Hinge: Praful Hinge was bought for INR 30 lakh.
- Krains Fuletra: Krains Fuletra was secured for INR 30 lakh.
- Jack Edwards: SRH filled their second overseas spot by adding Aussie all-rounder Jack Edwards.
- Rachin Ravindra: SRH signed New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra at his base price of INR 2 crore.
Released Players:
Before the auction, SRH released several players, including Adam Zampa, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder, Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, and Simarjeet Singh.
With these additions, the Sunrisers Hyderabad seem to have built a well-rounded squad for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
