With the big IPL auction approaching this December, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has nearly finished deciding who to keep. The team is set to retain the powerhouse Heinrich Klaasen, versatile all-rounder Pat Cummins, and the young Indian sensation Abhishek Sharma. Negotiations to keep Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy are also nearly complete.
Of the three primary retentions, the South African wicketkeeper-batter Klaasen commands the highest fee at INR 23 crore (~US $2.74 million), while the Australian Test captain Cummins is set for INR 18 crore (~US $2.14 million), and Abhishek Sharma will be kept for INR 14 crore (~US $1.67 million).
Pat Cummins is expected to lead the squad once again following his captaincy last season, during which he also excelled as a bowler by claiming 18 wickets in 16 matches. On the batting front, Abhishek Sharma's incredible IPL form—scoring 484 runs at a blistering 204.21 strike rate—paved the way for his debut with the Indian national team.
Travis Head contributed 567 runs in 15 matches with a strike rate of 191.55, making him the fourth-highest run-getter of the entire season. Klaasen also played a pivotal role, scoring 479 runs at a strike rate of 171.07, ranking third in the team behind Head and Sharma. Additionally, Nitish Kumar Reddy provided crucial stability in the middle order, contributing 303 runs and taking three wickets.
Last season was a standout for SRH, who secured second place in the league stage with eight wins out of 14. Their success was largely driven by the aggressive batting of Head and Abhishek at the top and Klaasen's dominance in the middle. Though they fought hard, they eventually finished as runners-up after a loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders in the final.