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SRH IPL auction plan: Prime targets and likely top buys predicted for 2026 season

Kaushik Kashyap

Sunrisers Hyderabad auction plan.  [Source - AFP]Sunrisers Hyderabad auction plan.  [Source - AFP]

With the IPL 2026 mini auction coming up on December 16, Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to review their squad after an inconsistent season, aiming to improve balance, add depth, and make smart purchases for a stronger 2026 campaign.

As the Men in Orange gear up for the upcoming season, here we analyse their squad requirements and predict the potential targets they could pursue at the IPL 2026 mini auction.

SRH retention list for IPL 2026

Batters
Allrounders
Bowlers
Abhishek Sharma
Harsh Dubey
Pat Cummins✈️
Travis Head✈️
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Brydon Carse✈️
Ishan Kishan (WK)Jaydev Unadkat
Aniket Verma

Harshal Patel
Heinrich Klaasen✈️
Eshan Malinga✈️
Kamindu Mendis✈️ Zeeshan Ansari
R Smaran

Role distribution of SRH's retained players

  • Top order batters - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan
  • Middle order batters -  Heinrich Klaasen, Kamindu Mendis, R Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma
  • Lower middle order batter - Harsh Dubey
  • Bowling allrounder -  Pat Cummins, Brydon Carse
  • Pacers - Jaydev Unadkat, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga
  • Spinners - Zeeshan Ansari

SRH IPL 2026 auction budget and overseas slots

Sunrisers Hyderabad have a decent budget of INR 25.50 crores heading to the IPL mini auction. They have ten slots, including two overseas, to fill in the marquee event.

SRH IPL 2026 squad: What are the gaps to fill?

How SRH's expected playing XI looks like

Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, TBD, Pat Cummins (c), Brydon Carse, Harshal Patel, TBD. 

Impact Player: TBD

TBD- Vacant slots to be filled in IPL 2026 mini auction.

  • Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head as usual will form an explosive opening pair, followed by Ishan Kishan at No. 3, who has scored 381 runs at 54.42 average and 195.38 SR in SMAT 2025 so far.
  • Nitish Kumar Reddy is the all-rounder who is most likely bat in the middle-order, while Heinrich Klaasen is the primary enforcer alongside Aniket Verma. 
  • Pat Cummins leads the side and contributes with pace and late-order hitting. Brydon Carse who missed the last IPL, is expected to bring his all-round value down the order, while Harshal Patel controls the death overs with his variations. 

Areas to address for SRH in IPL mini auction

Indian wicket-taking spin option

  • SRH’s spin attack lacks depth, with Zeeshan Ansari the only attacking option. They need a genuine wicket-taking leg-spinner, while Harsh Dubey can handle the control role.
  • Last season, SRH spinners took the fewest wickets among all teams, making this a key area to address at the auction.
Criterion
Data
Wickets15
Average47.33
Strike-rate28.4

Table - SRH spinners' performance in IPL 2025

Powerplay wicket-taking bowler

  • SRH struggled to take wickets with the new ball last season. While Brydon Carse is expected to be available, his fitness status remains unpredictable. 
  • Releasing Mohammed Shami has left a clear opening, making an early-strike Indian seamer a priority at the auction.
Criterion
Data
Wickets20
Average43.25
RPO
10.30

Table - SRH bowling performance in powerplay in IPL 2025

Indian finisher

  • SRH released Abhinav Manohar, leaving a gap in Indian finishing depth. While R Smaran may feature in the middle order, they need an Impact Player who can finish games 
  • It can be either a power-hitting all-rounder or a domestic wicketkeeper capable of late-innings acceleration.

Backup top-order batter

  • SRH’s top order is strong, but they may target a backup batter. 
  • With several talented local batters emerging ahead of the auction, SRH is likely to get a few in their eyes for sure.

SRH IPL 2026 auction prime targets: Whom Pat Cummins' side are likely to go after?

Shivam Shukla

  • Shivam Shukla, a right-arm mystery spinner, has been a genuine wicket-taker for Madhya Pradesh this year in SMAT with 14 wickets. 
  • Having been a net bowler for SRH in the past, coaches have seen him trouble the likes of Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma in practice, making him a high possibility pick in the auction.

Auqib Nabi

Auqib Nabi from Jammu & Kashmir has been brilliant with the new ball in domestic and could solve SRH’s hunt for early-strike powerplay bowlers. 

In SMAT 2025, he took 15 wickets, 9 of them in the powerplay, often in quick bursts, showing his ability to make early breakthroughs.

Jacob Duffy

  • Jacob Duffy enjoying a stellar 2025 for New Zealand, taking 35 wickets in T20Is, the most among full-member pacers. 
  • His strength is the powerplay, claiming 20 wickets at a strike rate of 12.90, ideal for SRH’s early breakthroughs.

Ayush Sachin Vartak

  • Ayush Sachin Vartak from Mumbai shone in the U23 50-over domestic tournament with his elite six-hitting ability. 
  • Having attended SRH trials, he could be a target as an Indian finishing all-rounder. For U23 Mumbai in Men's State A trophy - 363 runs, 169.62 SR and 26 sixes.

Aman Rao

  • Aman Rao from Hyderabad is a strong, long-levered batter with powerful wrist work, making him a perfect local talent to shine at the top for SRH. 
  • In SMAT 2025, he scored 221 runs at a strike rate of 164.92. Having attended SRH trials for some time, he may finally earn a bid in the mini-auction.

Other potential targets for SRH

Kartik Sharma (try at low price), Jamie Smith, Raj Limbani, Sahil Parakh, Hemanth Reddy, Sunny Sandhu, Money Grewal, Krains Fuletra, Sushant Mishra, Matt Henry, Yash Raj Punja, Tejasvi Singh.