SRH aim for the stars in pursuit of second IPL title

A batting powerhouse that keeps it simple and sixy.

There are teams that adapt to change and others that ignite the change. SRH arguably fall in the second category, with their 2024 season pushing the barriers of a safe T20 total. Ten years on from their solitary title triumph, few teams boast of a metamorphosis from a safe batting unit to an uber-attacking one of this kind.

Their explosive batting core has been kept intact. Liam Livingstone's signing has bolstered their power-hitting stocks, while Salil Arora lends the option of a domestic finisher. Mohammed Shami was traded out to Lucknow Super Giants, but his potential replacements are greenhorns with little IPL experience.

The biggest spanner is Pat Cummins' initial unavailability – far from ideal for a franchise that found a stable leader after a period of turmoil. In saying that, a rejuvenated Ishan Kishan couldn't have perhaps asked for a better time to take charge, even if on an interim basis.

Watch the ball, swing as hard as you can. If you lose an early wicket, keep going hard. If you lose another, go harder. That's the SRH mantra.

Just about every batter expected to front up in their core XII packs a serious punch. That SRH endured a middling 2025 season ought not to see them deviate from their no-holds-barred approach.

However, there are question marks over whether their bowlers can avoid copping the same treatment. In Cummins' absence, there is not one name that stands out as a bankable option with the ball for the Sunrisers.

Potential XII: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Liam Livingstone, Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari/Shivang Kumar

Injury/Availability Watch

Cummins has played one match since July 14, 2025. He will miss the initial stages at least of this tournament, but has linked up with the squad ahead of their opener.

The injured Jack Edwards has been replaced by England's David Payne. Sri Lankan seamer Eshan Malinga, who suffered a dislocated shoulder, has joined the squad after clearing a fitness test, and could compete with Brydon Carse.

What they do better than most: Powerplay batting and six-hitting

Few opening pairs are as destructive as Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Despite SRH's lackluster 2025 campaign, their top-three struck at a rate of 174.89 – the highest among the ten teams. The scoring rate of their opening pairs in IPL 2025 stood at 11.47 – comfortably the highest again.

SRH also top the six-charts since IPL 2024, clearing the fence a whopping 298 times over the last two seasons.

A player that changes their ceiling

After an inspired comeback into the Indian team and a World Cup medal to his name, there is genuine optimism around Ishan Kishan enjoying a standout campaign. He strengthens an already devastating batting lineup and arrives in a rich vein of form. Since the last IPL, Kishan has struck a six or a four once every three deliveries in T20s, while amassing 1049 runs at an average of 47.68 and a strike-rate of 202.11.

In his current form, Kishan liberates the unshackled Travishek combination further. He could comfortably open up ideal entry points for Heinrich Klaasen and Livingstone.

The Bowling Conundrum

This is a massive worry. SRH have conceded the most 200+ totals in the IPL since the start of the 2022 cycle (19). The absence of a Powerplay banker was jarringly apparent last year, reflecting in an economy rate of 10.29 in this phase – the second-worst behind LSG.

It doesn't help that they lack a spinner of proven pedigree. By all metrics, they were the worst performing spin attack in IPL 2025, accounting for just 15 wickets at 47.33 apiece and an economy rate of 10.00.

They have moved towards some surprise elements, but Harsh Dubey's control, built on solid red-ball pedigree, could prove crucial. There's a buzz around this left-arm wrist-spinner from Madhya Pradesh, not least because he can also bat. 10 wickets in just 3 Vijay Hazare Trophy games swells that buzz further.

The Opening Test

It's hard to look beyond the opener against reigning champions RCB, which could set the tone for the season. It is imperative that they stumble upon their best bowling combination early, with their roster designed for the batters to do the heavy lifting.