After making it to the final of the IPL 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad have to live with the weight of the expectations for a title in the upcoming 2025 season. And to deliver, SRH retained their core, the best performers — Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nitish Reddy. In the Auction, they did fairly well too, to get the players of the caliber of Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar.
In short, they have the squad to go one step further and lift the IPL 2025 trophy. Now, let’s talk business. InsideSport takes a look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The moment you've all been waiting for
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) February 16, 2025
Mark your calendars, #OrangeArmy! It's time to #PlayWithFire#TATAIPL2025 pic.twitter.com/FTXpFMqFCg
Strengths and Opportunities
If one had to pick SRH’s biggest strength, it is their batting for sure — especially when they play at their home ground. Apart from the retentions, there is Kishan, who will only look to add to the fire-power of the already strong batting line-up. Someone like an inexperienced Abhinav Manohar too has his career strike-rate up at 149. Then Nitish Kumar Reddy is full-fit now, and going by what he showed in last IPL, and for India, he will tonk the ball hard.
Twice in the last season they had come close to getting to 300, but ended at 287 and 277, respectively. Such was batting form, that they had even scored 266 once. If Ishan Kishan can come in at No. 3, he can just be a catalyst to the innings, after solid, fast starts by Abhishek and Travis. Even their bowlers/all-rounders are decent with the bat can hit the ball a long mile.
Harshal has a strike-rate of 140 lower down the order, similar for Cummins — 135. So, in short, 300 would be a realistic target, and SRH would have that at the back of their head.
Weakness and Threats
One of the biggest concerns for SRH will be, will Mohammed Shami be able to sustain the entire season of IPL? Yes, he did fairly well in the Champions Trophy, but one just doesn’t know with him. One of the their other pacers is Jaydev Unadkat, who has endured a bad few seasons in the IPL. Just last year alone in 11 matches he had only 8 wickets for SRH, at an economy of 10.23.
Another problem is, Brydon Carse is out of the tournament due to an injury. So the pace bowling department looks shaky. Yes, Wiaan Mulder has been named his replacement, but then it will be a toss up between him and Adam Zampa for a place in the playing XI.
SRH IPL 2025 Squad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Mohammad Shami, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Brydon Carse, Kamindu Mendis, Aniket Verma, Eshan Malinga, Sachin Baby.
