5 players SRH might release ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Published - 09 Oct 2025, 14:29 IST | Updated - 09 Oct 2025, 14:48 IST

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were runners-up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. However, in 2025, they finished sixth, spending a considerable amount of time at the bottom of the table. The Pat Cummins-led side will look to make some changes to their squad before next season to put on a show for the Orange Army.

Sunrisers Hyderabad are known for playing with an ultra-aggressive approach. They have amassed 250-plus scores for fun, especially in their 2024 campaign. They also made it to the finals in the 2024 season, but lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the following season saw them have a very lack lustrous season.

One of the main reasons behind this was the dismal form of some batters in the side. Meanwhile, the bowling department also produced a lacklustre performance, with not many bowlers being able to stem the flow of runs on excellent batting surfaces. In this article, CricTracker has done a thorough analysis of five players who could be released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, which is not too far away.

Harshal Patel was roped in by SRH for INR 8 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, the experienced pacer didn't have a great time with the ball last season. While he did pick up 16 wickets from 13 matches, he conceded runs at an economy rate of 9.80, which is slightly on the higher side, especially from someone who is as experienced as him.

Eight out of Harshal's wickets in the season came in two games, while the remaining eight came in 11 matches. So, the Sanand-born lacked consistency. He could be released ahead of the auction, and Hyderabad could try to sign him back for a lesser amount. Additionally, there is also an option of picking a promising youngster over the Gujarat cricketer.