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The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) had a sensational campaign in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Under the astute leadership of Pat Cummins, they overcame their miserable campaign in 2023 to finish in the top two and reach the summit clash, where they fell to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
SRH are in an excellent position ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. They have hugely talented players in all departments and have plenty of options to choose from as they look to finalize their core.
At the same time, however, what that means is that some quality options will need to be let go of by the Orange Army. On that note, here are three top players that might have to be released by SRH ahead of IPL 2025.
#3 Pat Cummins
It might seem strange to suggest that SRH would want to release the man who led them to their first IPL final since 2018. Pat Cummins' captaincy has come for immense praise from all quarters lately, and he also played a key role with the ball as he picked up 18 wickets.
But is Cummins, the T20 bowler, worth more than ₹14 crore? SRH paid a mammoth amount for him at the 2023 auction, but that was a mini-auction in which prices were inflated. Come 2025, the Aussie skipper might not receive the same demand.
With important international assignments like the Ashes on the horizon, Cummins' availability might also be questioned. He has opened up on the matter, suggesting that he will need to take a call on where his loyalties lie depending on what his calendar looks like.
It'll be hard for SRH to find a quality captain if they release Cummins, but they might be short of choices right now.
#2 Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy is a profile of a player who is extremely hard to find in India. He is a capable hitter of pace and spin while possessing the ability to don several roles in the batting order. The all-rounder is also a useful option with the ball since he can swing the new ball and hit the deck hard in the middle overs.
However, with Nitish recently receiving his maiden international cap, it might be hard for SRH to shell out north of ₹11 crore for his services ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. His bowling is perhaps not developed enough for him to be trusted with his full quota regularly, and he has only one IPL season of note to his name.
SRH have options like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klassen. Retaining a fourth player in Nitish would cost them a big chunk of their purse, and they might decide to fancy their chances of bringing him back at the auction.
#1 Umran Malik
The last two IPL seasons haven't gone to plan for Umran Malik. After the Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler broke out onto the scene with 22 wickets in the 2022 edition of the league, he has picked up only five in the next two campaigns. In 2024, he played just one game for SRH.
Umran has also fallen out of favor with the Indian team and is in limbo now. However, very few bowlers in India can offer what he does. Capable of clocking well above 150 kph, the express quick can turn out to be a lethal weapon if he is used in the right way.
Umran's auction price is likely to reflect that. Teams are bound to be battling for his services, given the scarcity of his skill set. And needless to say, it's hard to see the SunRisers retain him ahead of the auction.
