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The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with high expectations, having been inconsistent since their title win in 2016 and reaching the final in 2018. Pundits widely considered them as favourites before the season, given the apparent strength of their squad on paper.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s disastrous run in IPL 2023
However, under the leadership of Aiden Markram, SRH failed to meet these expectations. Winning only four out of fourteen games, they finished at the bottom of the table, receiving the wooden spoon. The poor performance was attributed to key players underperforming and not living up to their star status.
Significant changes possible ahead of IPL 2024
As SRH heads into the IPL 2024 auction, there is anticipation that the franchise will undergo significant changes to address the issues that plagued their campaign in 2023. The team management may look to revamp the squad’s composition, potentially releasing underperforming players and acquiring new talent to bolster their chances in the upcoming season.
5 players that SRH might release:
1. Harry Brook
- Purchased for a hefty sum of INR 13.25 crore, England‘s Brook performance in IPL 2023 has fallen short of expectations.
- In 11 matches, the 24-year-old batter scored only 190 runs at a disappointing strike-rate of 123.38.
- Despite a century against KKR, his overall inconsistency led to batting order changes, causing instability in the team.
2. Mayank Agarwal
- Another high-profile acquisition at INR 8.25 crore, Agarwal endured a challenging season.
- In 10 fixtures, he managed only 270 runs at an unsatisfactory strike-rate of 128.57 with a high-score of 83.
- SRH, expecting more from the high-priced player, might consider releasing him, especially given his inconsistent IPL track record.
3. Abdul Samad
- Despite playing 34 IPL games, Samad has struggled to capitalize on opportunities.
- Chosen to fulfill the role of a finisher, he has been largely disappointing, and SRH’s inconsistent team selection hasn’t helped his cause.
- A release into the auction pool for Samad might be a strategic move.
Also READ: IPL 2024: Ravichandran Ashwin points out two key players to watch out for ahead of the auction
4. Adil Rashid
- Featured in only two matches, Rashid picked up two wickets for SRH.
- With the likely retention of Indian spinners Mayank Markande, Abhishek Sharma and Washington Sundar, Rashid may be released into the auction pool.
- Limited opportunities and redundancy in the spin department could lead to his departure.
5. Akeal Hosein
- Despite success in other franchise tournaments, Hosein had a peripheral role with SRH, playing only one match.
- While SRH may consider keeping him as a squad player, exploring better options in the auction might be a priority.
- The aim would be to free up the budget for potentially impactful acquisitions in other positions.
