Sunrisers Hyderabad head into the IPL Auction 2026 with a reputation they have earned the hard way. Over the last three seasons, no team has swung between extremes quite like them. Wooden spoon in 2023, runners-up in 2024, and then a slide to sixth in 2025. For a franchise built on fearless cricket, volatility has become both a strength and a recurring problem.The identity of this side was fully established in 2024. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma turned the powerplay into a demolition zone, striking at 191.55 and 204.21 respectively, and changing how teams approached the first six overs. Few batting units have been as intimidating early in an innings.
But 2025 exposed the risks behind that approach. Head, Abhishek and Kishan all crossed 350 runs with healthy averages and strike rates, yet the season swung wildly from game to game. In four matches, all three were dismissed for under 25 in the same innings, and SRH lost every one of those games. When the top order failed together, there was no recovery.Building batting depthThat is why the auction focus is unlikely to be on fixing the top order, but on safeguarding it. SRH already have one of the best opening pairs in the league, and the hope will be that Kishan finds greater consistency at number three after a stop-start season. What they need is depth rather than disruption.Backups who can slot in seamlessly and maintain the same high-tempo style will be on the radar. Finn Allen, Tim Seifert or Kusal Perera fit SRH’s aggressive batting philosophy and also offer wicketkeeping cover. Among Indian options, Anmolpreet Singh or Mayank Agarwal offer experience and insurance.The middle order remains both the team’s backbone and its biggest worry. Heinrich Klaasen carried SRH through long stretches last season, finishing as their leading run-scorer with 487 runs at an average of 44.27 and a strike rate close to 173. Retained for INR 23 crore, he remains central to everything SRH plans. His recent form outside the IPL has dipped, but the franchise will hope familiar conditions bring the best out of him again, possibly at number four.Nitish Kumar Reddy struggled to settle at that position, while Aniket Verma showed promise as a finisher. R. Smaran’s prolific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy run makes him one to watch, and he could force his way into the eleven sooner rather than later.What SRH clearly lack is a proven match-winner at number seven. Someone who can finish games under pressure. Venkatesh Iyer offers that flexibility, while Liam Livingstone feels tailor-made for Hyderabad with his power and part-time spin. David Miller is another name that makes sense. With Head, Klaasen and Pat Cummins locked in as overseas starters, SRH may need to be clever about how they balance their foreign slots, but Miller’s ability to close tight chases could solve a problem that hurt them badly in 2025.Bowling balance holds the keyBowling is where the biggest decisions lie. Releasing Mohammad Shami just a year after spending INR 10 crore was a bold call, but his powerplay struggles left SRH leaking runs early. The pace unit otherwise looks settled under Pat Cummins, though adding an Indian fast bowler for depth would make sense over a long season.Spin remains the most urgent concern for them. The letting go of Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar has left SRH short of experience, especially with Zeeshan Ansari and Harsh Dubey still works in progress. An overseas option like Wanindu Hasaranga adds quality but complicates balance. That is why Ravi Bishnoi looms as the most important target at the auction. With 77 IPL matches and 72 wickets, he fits perfectly, and a bidding war in the 13 to 15 crore range would not be a surprise.Matt Henry is another option worth watching. With Shami gone, SRH lack a proven new-ball partner for Cummins, and Henry’s ability to swing the ball early could bring much-needed control to the powerplay.With INR 25.50 crore in their purse, the third-highest among all teams, Sunrisers Hyderabad have room to be bold again. History suggests they will be. Whether that boldness brings brilliance or heartbreak will depend on how well they balance their love for chaos with the need for stability. The thrill will remain. The challenge is making it sustainable.
