IPL 2026: SunRisers Hyderabad - Know Your Players

IPL 2026: SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) - Know Your Players

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) spent approximately ₹20.05 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction to acquire 10 new players. Their biggest purchase was England all-rounder Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore. The team entered the auction with a ₹25.50 crore purse and focused on strengthening their squad by buying eight uncapped Indians and two overseas players.

The SunRisers, throughout the years have always had quality attacks, but this season, the unit looks miles away from being potent. They have the batting firepower, but without decent operators, there's not an iota of a chance for them to go all the way. Who can come in for SRH? Who are the lesser known stars in the line-up? We take a look.

SALIL ARORA

A 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, Salil Arora arrives at the IPL 2026 after making a strong mark in Punjab’s star-studded T20 setup. He finished as Punjab’s leading run-scorer in the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, piling up 358 runs at a blistering strike-rate of 198.88. The standout moment of his campaign was an unbeaten 125 off just 45 balls against eventual champions Jharkhand, an innings that featured nine fours and 11 sixes—accounting for 102 runs in boundaries. Only Ishan Kishan hit more sixes than him that season. A natural middle-order hitter, Sunrisers Hyderabad secured him for INR 1.5 crore at the 2026 IPL Auction, aiming to bolster their line-up with another powerful six-hitting option.

SMARAN RAVICHANDRAN

Smaran Ravichandran, a left-handed batter from Karnataka has quickly made a name for himself in domestic cricket within just two seasons. He made his senior debut in the 2024–25 season and has since been remarkably consistent. In 17 first-class matches, he has accumulated 1534 runs at an outstanding average of 73.04, including three double centuries.

The 22-year-old has impressed across formats as well, averaging 50.33 in 18 List A matches. In T20s, he has scored at a strike-rate of 162.45 while averaging 48.90 in 13 games. One of his most notable performances came in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 final, where he scored a match-winning 101 against Vidarbha to help Karnataka secure the title.

His consistent performances earned him his first IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad, who signed him for INR 30 lakh as a replacement for Australian spinner Adam Zampa. Although an injury setback followed, SRH have continued to back him, retaining him for IPL 2026.

SHIVANG KUMAR

Another uncapped spinner in SRH’s ranks, Shivang Kumar is a 23-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner from Madhya Pradesh. While his experience in domestic white-ball cricket is limited, just four T20s and three List A matches, he has already shown glimpses of his potential.

His standout performances include a five-wicket haul (5/45) against Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and figures of 3/25 against Bihar in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him up for INR 30 lakh ahead of the 2026 IPL season.

Shivang also adds value with the bat, having scored a List A fifty—67 off 69 balls against Jharkhand in the 2025/26 season—which could give him an advantage over other uncapped spin options in SRH’s squad.

KRAINS FULETRA

A rare left-arm wrist-spinner, Krains Fuletra has rapidly developed into an exciting prospect within Saurashtra’s setup. He impressed in the U23 One-Day Competition, picking up four wickets for 67 runs across two matches. His talent caught the attention of Saurashtra captain Jaydev Unadkat, also part of the SRH squad, who helped fast-track him into the Vijay Hazare Trophy team during the 2024/25 season.

Recognizing his potential, SRH signed him for INR 30 lakh at the 2026 IPL Auction, handing him his first contract. At just 21, Fuletra is still very raw, with only three senior white-ball appearances to his name, but he brings a unique and intriguing dimension to SRH’s spin attack heading into the new season.

DAVID PAYNE

David Payne first made a name for himself as a teenager in English county cricket. He was among England’s standout performers in the 2010 ICC Men’s U19 World Cup and has since built a strong reputation across domestic and T20 formats.

With experience spanning 115 first-class matches, 70 List A games, and over 230 T20s, Payne earned his maiden England call-up at the age of 30 during the Covid period in 2021, making his only international appearance a year later in an ODI against the Netherlands.

Now 35, Payne is set for his first stint in the IPL, having been picked up by SRH for the 2026 season as an injury replacement for Australian allrounder Jack Edwards. His experience and left-arm variation add depth to an SRH bowling attack led by captain Pat Cummins.

ONKAR TARMALE

Onkar Tarmale is a young right-arm fast bowler from Mumbai known for his raw pace, regularly clocking speeds in the high 140 kph range. At just 22, he is still developing but has already shown encouraging signs in domestic cricket. He has played a limited number of games for Mumbai across formats, picking up nine wickets from two first-class matches and four List A appearances.

Despite his relatively small sample size, Tarmale’s ability to generate genuine pace makes him stand out.

PRAFUL HINGE

Praful Hinge is a young right-arm seamer from Vidarbha who has quietly built a solid reputation in red-ball cricket. In just 10 first-class matches, the 24-year-old has picked up 27 wickets at an average of 26.7, underlining his reliability as a workhorse bowler.

His T20 exposure has been limited, but he made a neat impression in his only outing, returning figures of 1 for 23 in four overs while opening the bowling alongside Umesh Yadav against Andhra. SRH signed him for INR 30 lakh ahead of IPL 2026, adding him as a backup pace option. Hinge now joins a bowling group featuring Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, and Jaydev Unadkat, an environment that could play a key role in his development.

How far do you think will SRH go this season? Can the 'uninspired' looking bowling set-up turn things around? They have got the variety but can they back it up with quality?