IPL 2025 countdown: SRH will bank on its in-your-face approach

Sunrisers Hyderabad's revamped squad aims to maintain aggressive batting while bolstering bowling options for the upcoming IPL season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad surprised everyone last season by notching up gargantuan totals with ease.

It registered the highest score in IPL history (287 for three vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and crossed the 250-run mark two more times (277 for three vs Mumbai Indians and 266 for seven vs Delhi Capitals). SRH  stormed into its first final in six years but fell to Kolkata Knight Riders.

At the auction, two things were accomplished: strengthening an already impressive batting line-up and drafting in experienced bowling options following key departures.

With Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nitish Kumar Reddy being joined by wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan (₹11.25 crore), the team’s ultra-aggressive style is unlikely to change.

Rejigged

SRH will sport a rejigged bowling unit this year. After the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T. Natarajan and Washington Sundar were let go, it secured the services of Mohammed Shami (₹10 crore), who picked up 28 wickets in the PowerPlay in the last two seasons, averaging 21.25 with an economy of 7.08.

Having been sidelined for more than a year with an ankle injury, the 34-year-old picked up 14 wickets across 11 T20 matches for Bengal and India on his comeback. Most recently, Shami took nine wickets in 41 overs in India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign in the UAE.