Sunrisers Hyderabad started their IPL 2026 campaign without their Australian captain, Pat Cummins. Under the leadership of Ishan Kishan, SRH struggled to deliver strong performances in the opening matches.
However, after Pat Cummins returned to the side, SRH became unstoppable. The team’s bowling attack, led by Sakib Hussain and Ehsan Malinga, played a crucial role in their turnaround and helped Sunrisers Hyderabad secure a place in the IPL playoffs.
Should they Retain or Release this player?
Sunrisers Hyderabad won their maiden Indian Premier League trophy in 2016 under the leadership of Australian legend David Warner. It’s been a decade since they won their trophy, so for the next season, they will be very strict about team selections, and we may see some big names that could be released from the team.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) probable retained and released players list for IPL 2027, analysing their squad value and auction strategy.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Campaign overview
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had a rough IPL 2026 season. They were beaten by 47 runs in the Eliminator at New Chandigarh Stadium, ending their title hopes.
SRH fought hard under Pat Cummins’ captaincy during the season. While players like Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen took charge, the bowling and middle-order batting lacked consistency.
SRH started their campaign shakily; in the first 4 matches, they won only one, and after that, they achieved 5 back-to-back wins. With 9 wins and 5 losses in 14 matches, SRH finished 3rd on the points table with 18 points.
In the Eliminator match, they faced the Rajasthan Royals and suffered a massive 47-run loss to end their campaign. Now the focus shifts to the December 2027 auction, with the team management gearing up to take some tough calls.
| Stats | IPL 2026 Numbers |
| Matches Played | 14 |
| Wins | 9 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Points | 18 |
| Final Position | 3 |
High-Profile Players SRH is Likely to Release
To buy match-winners in the next auction, SRH needs to clear out their purse. So we can see several expensive and underperforming players during the 2026 season who are primary candidates for release.
Liam Livingstone (INR 13 Crore)
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone came to the headlines when Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) management brought him for INR 13 crore from the IPL 2026 auction. But he didn’t pay off the returns of his high amount of money.
Livingstone played only 2 matches in this season of the IPL, where he scored only 15 runs and didn’t even bowl a single over. With their fixed 4 foreigners, Liam Livingstone failed to find his spot in the playing XI. Considering his huge salary and limited impact, Hyderabad could release the former Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings all-rounder for the upcoming IPL 2027 season.
Harshal Patel (INR 8 Crore)
Harshal Patel also had a poor season playing for the Orange Army. SRH bagged the experienced pacer for INR 8 crore in the 2025 auction in the expectation that he could strengthen the bowling attack. Furthermore, his experience in high-pressure situations was expected to benefit the young bowlers in the team.
In IPL 2026, Harshal played only 5 matches in which he went wicketless, conceding 148 runs with an economy of 10.82. With his high price tag and poor performance, the franchise could be looking to invest in young players for the upcoming season, and he may be released from the team.
Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1 Crore)
A third player who may not be with SRH next year is Jaydev Unadkat. The left-arm pacer, acquired at INR 2 crore, played four matches in IPL 2026. He did pick up four wickets, but the economy rate of 10.91 was still on the higher side.
Looking at his age and his performance this year, the franchise should look for some young prominent bowlers in the upcoming season, and Jaydev could find himself among the players released ahead of the IPL 2027 season.
Brydon Carse (INR 1 Crore)
The English all-rounder was acquired for INR 1 crore by the SRH management. Sadly, he was ruled out of the whole IPL 2026 season due to injury. With his injury concerns and unavailability during the IPL 2026 season, Carse could be one of the foreign players released by SRH ahead of IPL 2027.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Retained Players List
Despite another heartbreaking season, SRH management will look to maintain stability by retaining their core players. The core consists of local Indian stars like Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Ishan Kishan, who have performed exceptionally well, alongside crucial international assets.
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Ishan Kishan
- Travis Head
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Eshan Malinga
- Praful Hinge
- Sakib Hussain
- Salil Arora
- Aniket Verma
- Harsh Dubey
SRH Probable Retained & Released Players
Sunrisers Hyderabad appear likely to release as many as 12 players from their squad. Among them are some high-profile names, including Liam Livingstone and Harshal Patel. Releasing these players could add around ₹21 crore to SRH’s purse, giving the franchise greater flexibility ahead of the next season.
| Player Name | Role | Price (INR) | Expected Status |
| Harshal Patel | Bowler | INR 8.00 Crore | Released |
| Jaydev Unadkat | Bowler | INR 1 crore | Released |
| Brydon Carse | All-rounder | INR 1 crore | Released |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | INR 13 crore | Released |
| Kamindu Mendis | All-rounder | INR 75 Lakh | Released |
| Shivang Kumar | All-rounder | INR 30 Lakh | Released |
| Krains Fuletra | All-rounder | INR 30 Lakh | Released |
| Ravichandran Smaran | Batsman | INR 30 Lakh | Released |
| Shivam Mavi | Bowler | INR 75 Lakh | Released |
| Onkar Tarmale | Bowler | INR 30 Lakh | Released |
| Amit Kumar | Bowler | INR 30 Lakh | Released |
| Jack Edwards | All-rounder | INR 3 crore | Released |
| Abhishek Sharma | Batsman | Retained Core | Retained |
| Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper | Retained Core | Retained |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder | Retained Core | Retained |
| Travis Head | Batsman | Retained Core | Retained |
| Pat Cummins (C) | Bowler | Retained Core | Retained |
| Praful Hinge | Bowler | Retained Core | Retained |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Batsman | Retained Core | Retained |
| Aniket Verma | Batsman | Retained Core | Retained |
| Harsh Dubey | All-rounder | Retained Core | Retained |
| Salil Arora | wicket-keeper | Retained Core | Retained |
| Sakib Hussain | Bowler | Retained Core | Retained |
Purse Value and Auction Strategy for IPL 2027
By releasing these six underperforming and overpriced players, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will reclaim a good amount of money. The total purse value recovered after releasing these players, SRH gets 29.00 crore.
With this 29.00 crore purse, the SRH management will look for some good options.
- A good middle-order batter
- A reliable overseas all-rounder who can also take the finishing role and replace Liam Livingstone
- Fast bowlers who can reduce the workload of their main fast bowlers and take a rotational player role.
With this amount of purse and a good strategy in the auction, SRH will look for a three-peat.
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