As the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) approaches, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) enter the new season with a decade’s worth of highs, lows, reinventions, heartbreaks, and historic moments behind them. Since their inception in 2013, SRH have built a reputation as one of the league’s most resilient and tactically sharp sides, known first for their world-class bowling core and, in recent years, for a fearless batting revolution that has rewritten IPL record books. Their journey through the seasons tells the story of a team constantly evolving, constantly fighting.
SRH burst onto the scene in 2013 with a playoff finish and peaked in 2016, lifting their maiden IPL title under David Warner after a thrilling victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, now Royal Challengers Bengaluru. What followed was an era of consistency, five straight playoff appearances from 2016 to 2020, including a runners-up finish in 2018. But the years after brought turbulence. Between 2021 and 2023, SRH endured some of their toughest campaigns, finishing in the bottom three each season.The turning point arrived in 2024, when Pat Cummins’s aggressive leadership and a revamped squad powered SRH to a spectacular resurgence. They shattered the all-time IPL score twice, dominated with an explosive top order, and reached the final, eventually finishing runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders. The momentum faltered in 2025, a season marked by inconsistency, but SRH still clawed their way to a respectable 6th-place finish after a late surge.Now, heading into IPL 2026, the franchise stands at another crucial moment. With key retentions shaping the core and a blend of experience, youth, and firepower, SRH look ready to script their next chapter, one that aims to reclaim playoff stability and push once again for the title.
Full List of Players Retained by SRH for IPL 2026
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, B Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Pat Cummins, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari
Players Released by SRH Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Wiaan Mulder, Mohammed Shami, Smarjeet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa
