Smaran Ravichandran: The 30 lakh Indian gem who could solve SRH's batting crisis in IPL 2026

How Ravichandran can solve SRH woes [Source: AFP Photo]

Just like RCB and MI, the Sunrisers Hyderabad also retained their core players on the retention deadline day. The team that reached the finals of the 2024 IPL season, had a disappointing campaign, last year, but the management showed trust in the existing core as the team only need to fill in a couple of loopholes in the mini auction.

The team has all the big names in Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen, but perhaps, the Orange Army also has an underrated gem who can turn out to be their biggest match-winner in the upcoming season - Smaran Ravichandran.

Bought for only 30 lakhs, the talented batter could be in the scheme of things for the upcoming season, and if his latest form is anything to go by, then SRH could potentially show trust in him and play him at number 4, a position where he has carved a name for himself.

What has been SRH's batting issues in 2025?

• While the bowling lacked a cutting-edge, the batting department wasn’t far off as apart from Heinrich Klaasen, none of the batters were consistent enough, as compared to 2024 and this led to the side not qualifying for the playoffs.
• While Head, Abhishek, and Ishan Kishan will form the top three, Klaasen will be used as a floater, depending upon the situation. However, the team still needs a reliable middle-order batter, who can offer stability and can also play an aggressive brand of cricket, something which SRH embodies.
• There is also Nitish Kumar Reddy in the scheme of things, but he has been injury-prone in 2025, and perhaps the team could try out Ravichandran at 4, or 5, depdning upon the match-situation.

What Smaran Ravichandran brings to the table for SRH

• In recent times, Ravichandran has been in outstanding form in the domestic circuit, and he has upped his T20 game that could benefit the Orange Army in the 2026 season. Moreover, his recent T20 stats in the Maharaja T20 Cup showcases his brute display of power, and the numbers don’t lie.

(Smaran in Maharaja T20)

• In the tournament, Ravichandran finished as the second-highest run-getter after Devdutt Padikkal and had an astonishing strike rate of 156.02. Moreover, the batter also slammed 26 sixes in the tournament, something which SRH emphasises as the team loves to have big-hitters in the squad.
• Last season, the team lacked an aggressive Indian batter in the middle-order, and Ravichandran could fulfill that demand, and the stats tell that he has the capability to fulfill the role for SRH.
• He’s a strong pace-hitter and works perfectly as a floater, and the team needs an Indian batter, who has an excellent game-play against pace-bowling, and the batter fits the bill perfectly.

He could be Nitish Kumar Reddy's replacement at 4

Nitish Reddy, who was the breakout star in the 2024 edition had an average campaign in 2025, and the numbers reveal everything.

(Nitish Reddy in IPL 2025)

• Just 182 runs in 11 matches, with a strike rate of 118, defined Nitish Reddy’s IPL 2025 campaign. Hence, SRH could try Ravichandran at 4, his preferred batting position in T20s, and could slot in Nitish Kumar Reddy at either 5, or 6, depemding upon the match-situation.

Conclusion

SRH does have a plethora of superstars, but the team also has an X-factor in the team - Smaran Ravichandran and while the big names are expected to do well, keep an eye on the youngster, who can light up the league with his explosive batting and can fill in the middle-order loophole for next season.

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