IPL 2022 Auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad Strategy: Who SRH should buy & buy back, remaining purse

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Bengaluru, February 11: The Sunrisers Hyderabad has a reputation of being cautious when it comes to spending in the auction, and come this weekend at IPL 2022 Mega Auction we may see a change in the strategy as they have a huge chunk to spend.

Over the years, SRH have been shrewd in the auctions with their biggest spend being on Manish Pandey for Rs 11 Crore. While, they have released a great deal of their core, SRH may not look to bring back many names from the past.

They released the likes of Rashid Khan, Pandey, Jonny Bairstow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and former skipper David Warner among others. Jason Holder and T Natarajan also were let go, but they may try getting them again in the auction.

However, they have managed to retain a star in their skipper Kane Williamson. But their other two retentions - Umran Malik and Abdul Samad - are uncapped players on the rise. So, they will be after some big names from the auction.

Williamson's fitness may also be on the back of their mind prompting to bring someone in who can also lead the team in the New Zealander's absence.

With top names in the auction and nine more franchises involved, it makes for an exciting two days. So, let's see who are the players SRH could possibly buy or buy back from the auction and their general strategy.

1. SRH Retained players

Kane Williamson (Rs 14 crore)

Umran Malik (Rs 4 crore)

Abdul Samad (Rs 4 crore)

2. SRH Purse Remaining

Rs. 68 crore

3. Who SRH should buy in the auction

Shikhar Dhawan: The Indian opener has been a constant in the Orange Cap race for the past few seasons. With SRH losing their opeing pair from the past two seasons as Jonny Bairstow and most importantly David Warner being let go, Dhawan will fill one opening slot void. He also adds the captaincy option when needed and a left-handed option to bat along with someone like Jason Roy if they manage to get him back. While it will be sort of homecoming for Dhawan, who won the 2016 title with SRH, the senior India opener will come at a huge cost.

Dinesh Karthik: The senior Indian wicketkeeper Karthik will be another good option for SRH as he adds the keeper option as well as someone who could contribute some cameos with the bat. He also has leadreship experience, which could come in handy in case Williamson is not playing. If they fail to land him, they could opt to go after KS Bharat, but the Andhra keeper may have many franchises waiting in the wings following his decent campaign last year.

Wanindu Hasaranga: The Sri Lankan all-rounder Hasaranga is one of the best choices for SRH to somewhat fill in a big void left with the exit of Rashid Khan. Although, the Lankan leg-spinner may not be at the level of Rashid, Hasaranga also adds a batting option as a finisher. But with wrist-spinners in demand, SRH will have to beat off many other franchise to buy him at the auction.

4 Who SRH should buy back in the auction

Jason Holder: The West Indies all-rounder Holder brings in calmness and leadership qualities. He has shown that with his performances last season whether with bat or ball always contributing to the team's cause. However, with many teams expected to be keen on his services, SRH will need to go big to bring him back.

T Natarajan: The Tamil Nadu left-arm pacer Natarajan got his break into the Indian cricket team following his performances for SRH in the past few IPLs. If he remains fit, Natarajan is one of the best death bowlers in cricket. Although they didn't retain him before the 2022 auction, SRH may try bringing him back at the acution.

Jason Roy: The England opener Roy is known for his explosive starts and he has showed that in the past when sporting an orange jersey. Plus, he has been in brilliant form off late. So, he will be a no-brainer for SRH. They will need more work though to fill the void left by Bairstow and Warner.

5. SRH Auction Strategy

SRH has Rs 68 crore in their purse, the second highest remaining purse after Punjab Kings. This gives them an advantage over some other franchises, but with very little experience in their retentions, they will be aware of the need to bring in few big names, like Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jason Roy and Jason Holder.