IPL: 5 Players SRH should release ahead of next season

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have continued to grapple with inconsistency despite flashes of brilliance in recent IPL seasons. While their squad boasts a mix of youth and experience, the lack of sustained performance from key players has kept them from challenging the top teams. In IPL 2025, SRH have won only 3 games out of 9 played and are on the brink of elimination.
To build a stronger, more competitive unit for IPL 2026, tough decisions need to be made. SRH will have the opportunity to reset and invest in match-winners suited to modern T20 demands. Releasing underperforming or misfitting players will not only open up crucial spots but also free up funds for smarter acquisitions.

Here are the 5 players SRH should release ahead of the next IPL season:

1. Aniket Verma 

Aniket Verma has had his moments in IPL 2025. He has scored 190 runs in 9 games with a strike rate of 161.01. He has shown that he can hit the big shots and wow the audience, but hasn’t been consistent enough.

2. Mohammad Shami

Mohammad Shami was a huge buy for Sunrisers Hyderabad at INR 10 crores. SRH had bought the Bengal pacer to replace their trusted Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Shami was also coming off an ICC Champions Trophy win for India, and much was expected from the veteran.

However, it seems like Shami is past his prime in the shortest format, as he has only 6 wickets to show for in 8 games, at an economy of 10.70 and an average of 48.16. It remains to be seen whether SRH will keep their trust in Shami or go for a younger pacer in next year’s auction.

3. Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa has a brilliant reputation as a leg-spinner in T20s. He has 363 wickets in 298 T20 games and has featured for various teams in different T20 leagues. He has a decent record in the IPL with 31 wickets in 22 games, but has never gotten a consistent place in the playing XI in any season.

He had a decent start for SRH in IPL 2025 as well; however, his campaign was cut short with 2 wickets in 2 games, as he suffered a shoulder injury and flew back home. Given that none of the franchises have retained Zampa after spending one season with him, expect SRH to do the same.

4. Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel is a very useful bowler who tends to pick up wickets with his variety of deliveries instead of pace. He has been a Purple Cap holder in two different IPL seasons and came into the SRH team with a reputation. He has 148 wickets in 114 games in the IPL, but his problem is that his economy is 8.76.

For someone who bowls in the death overs, this is a par economy, but when you are paid upwards of INR 10 crores, Harshal Patel has not repaid the investment. He has 13 wickets in 8 games but at an economy of 9.03 with a best of 4/28. Most of his wickets are batters trying to go big in the death overs, while he is usually smashed by top-order batters.

5. Ishan Kishan

One of the biggest investments SRH made in the IPL 2025 mega auction was to recruit Ishan Kishan into their already star-studded batting order. And Kishan started on a resounding note, scoring his maiden IPL century in the first match he played for SRH. However, since then, Kishan has scored 77 runs in his next 8 games.

Kishan made a decent outing, scoring 47 in SRH’s last game, but that doesn’t hide the fact that even the franchise would feel they overpaid for the Jharkhand batter-keeper. While SRH is on the brink of elimination, Kishan can still save himself from embarrassment if he can score a few runs in the remaining 5 matches.

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