Sunrisers Hyderabad aim for IPL trophy after ten years
HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad target their second Indian Premier League title this season. The franchise last lifted the trophy in 2016 and finished runners-up in 2018 and 2024. The side now aims to end a ten-year wait by winning the championship.
Explosive batting core gives Hyderabad strong title hopes
Sunrisers spent ₹13 crore to sign England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, hoping his arrival strengthens their prospects. However, a back injury to full-time captain Pat Cummins means he may miss the first few matches. That setback comes just before the season begins.
Young wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is likely to lead in his absence. The batting line-up, featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, is seen as one of the most destructive in the league. Except for Livingstone, the team largely retains last season’s combination.
Hyderabad’s strength lies in its ability to post totals above 200 against any bowling attack. The opening pair of Head and Abhishek can change the course of a match inside the powerplay. Kishan’s aggressive intent from the first ball adds further firepower, while Klaasen remains a proven finisher capable of clearing the boundary with ease. Livingstone’s inclusion deepens the batting unit. Nitish Kumar Reddy could also play a key role if he anchors the innings when required. The right-left batting combination is expected to challenge opponents.
Inconsistent bowling unit remains major concern for side
Despite scoring over 250 twice and chasing a target of 246 last season, Hyderabad exited in the league phase. Poor and inconsistent bowling, frequent leaks of runs and the inability to take wickets at crucial moments hurt the campaign. Bowlers often struggled under pressure even as batters delivered big totals.
Cummins’ likely absence in the early matches may further impact the attack. It remains uncertain whether the pace duo of Brydon Carse and Jaydev Unadkat can fill the gap. Spinners such as Zeeshan Ansari, Shivang Kumar, Harsh Dubey and Krinis Pullebra are available, but the bowling unit appears less sharp than those of rival teams. The decision to release senior pacer Mohammed Shami after last season also raises questions.
Indian players: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Sabil Arora, Harshal Patel, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Amit Kumar, Prapul Hinge, Shivam Mavi, Sakit Hussain, Omkar Tarmale.
Overseas players: Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Krinis Pullebra, Liam Livingstone, David Sain.
Key players: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Best performances: Champions in 2016; runners-up in 2018 and 2024.
