24.45 Crores Wasted; 3 Costly Mega Auction Buys That Backfired On SRH In IPL 2025

Debashis Sarangi

Ishan Kishan has flopped in SRH colours [Source: AP]Ishan Kishan has flopped in SRH colours [Source: AP]

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are certainly not at their best in the IPL 2025. Led by Pat Cummins, the Orange Army have lost seven of their first ten matches, reeling at ninth in the points table. 

From openers' inconsistency to the middle order's vulnerability, nothing has fallen in place for the Sunrisers this season. As their lean run in the IPL grabs the limelight, here are three players who registered massive failures on their maiden stint with SRH. 

1. Ishan Kishan - 11.25 Crore

Criterion
Data
Innings10
Runs196
Average24.50
Strike Rate144.12

(Ishan Kishan's stats in IPL 2025)

  • After Mumbai Indians released him, swashbuckling keeper-batter Ishan Kishan bagged a lucrative contract worth INR 11.25 Crores in the IPL 2025 mega auction. The southpaw even announced himself in style, scoring a blistering century on his maiden outing for the team. 
  • However, his performance declined drastically in the subsequent matches. Statistically, Ishan has managed only 90 runs in nine outings since then, averaging 11.25  with the bat. More importantly, he has recorded five single-digit scores, showcasing horrible batting form in the tournament. 
  • Ishan's lean patch has definitely affected SRH's IPL 2025 campaign, as they find themselves on the verge of a group-stage exit from the tournament. 

2. Mohammed Shami - 10 Crores

Criterion
For GT
For SRH
Innings33
9
Wickets48
6
Average21.0456.17
Strike Rate15.7530
Economy8.0211.23

(Decline in Shami's performance after joining SRH)

  • Mohammed Shami was a prolific performer with the ball for Gujarat Titans, scalping 48 wickets across 33 matches at a superb strike rate of 15.75. However, as evidenced by the above stats, the seasoned campaigner has been a pale shadow of himself since joining SRH. 
  • While he has picked less than one wicket per game, Shami's economy of 11.23 suggests how poor he has been in controlling the flow of runs. Thus, investing a whopping 10Cr amount in the veteran pacer has brought disastrous consequences for SRH in IPL 2025. 

3. Abhinav Manohar - 3.2 Crores

Criterion
Data
Innings4
Runs49
Average12.25
Strike Rate98

(Abhinav Manohar's IPL 2025 stats)

  • Karnataka's experienced batter Abhinav Manohar found a new IPL home when SRH purchased him for INR 3.2 crores in last year's mega auction. However, the batter hasn't quite been up to the mark, failing to put up his A-game for the franchise. 
  • In four IPL 2025 innings, Manohar has managed only 49 runs at a mediocre average of 12.25 and a strike rate of 98. His towering sixes have now become a thing of past, with the likes of Aniket Verma and Kamindu Mendis taking up his role in the side. 
  • Thus, SRH could regret investing such a high amount for Manohar and might even release him from the squad ahead of the next season.