IPL 2025: Here are Sunrisers Hyderabad’s ‘Power Players’ this season

For a significant part of their 13-year history, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have been considered a good bowling side with a penchant for defending low totals. In 2024, under the captaincy of Pat Cummins, they well and truly switched gears. This was evident in their second match when they scored 277/3 to break Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s record (263) for the highest innings total in IPL history. 

Though their ultra aggressive approach also led to some batting collapses, more often than not, they were able to overwhelm the opposition and were ultimately deserving finalists. However, in the final, the batting failed and the team was bowled out for 113—the lowest total in an IPL final. The Kolkata Knight Riders made short work of the target in what turned out to be the shortest IPL final. The irony was that the old SRH may well have defended that total.

But, SRH made it clear that the approach would not change—Cummins was retained for ₹18 crore and will lead the team this season as the only non-Indian captain in the IPL. A core group of key players have been retained—Cummins, Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (₹6 crore), Heinrich Klassen (₹23 crore) and Travis Head (₹14 crore)—and there have been strategic acquisitions like keeper-batter Ishan Kishan (₹11.25 crore), pace ace Mohammed Shami (₹10 crore) and last season’s top wicket-taker Harshal Patel (₹8 crore).

So, while batting is likely to remain SRH’s biggest strength, bowling has been bolstered significantly, too. Moreover, the mix of internationals and young talent makes SRH well-balanced and capable of going that one extra step this time. 

IPL 2025: Five SRH players to watch out for this season

Pat Cummins

In what was his first experience as a T20 captain, the Australian proved his doubters wrong by leading SRH to the IPL final. Cummins instilled an aggressive approach in his squad, making SRH one of the most entertaining teams to watch. His leadership was supplemented by consistent bowling performances, claiming 18 wickets in 16 matches.

He is returning from an ankle injury that kept him out of the ICC Champions Trophy. SRH fans will be hoping that their captain is back at full fitness because his presence on the field is crucial for the team, both as a leader and bowler, and the 31-year-old’s ability to handle pressure will be key to the team’s ambitions.

Heinrich Klaasen

The South African wicket-keeper batter became the most expensive retained player in IPL history, earning Rs23 crore. That outlay is justified by his power-hitting ability that can turn the tide of games and his reliability behind the stumps. In IPL 2024, he was the team’s third-highest scorer with 479 runs, behind Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. He also contributed 10 dismissals from behind the stumps, with eight catches and two stumpings.

Although Klaasen had a disappointing SA20 season, scoring just 198 runs in 10 matches, he remains one of the most destructive batters in the league and his ability to perform under pressure during high-octane chases will be invaluable to the team. 

Mohammed Shami

The 34-year-old Indian pacer is a solid investment, despite his recent injury struggles.

He missed IPL 2024 and India’s 2024 T20I World Cup triumph through injury, but, in his last appearance in the IPL, in 2023, he won the Purple Cap with 28 wickets in 17 matches. That season, he had an average of 18.64, an economy rate of 8.03 and a strike rate of 13.9; he also took 17 wickets in powerplays—an all-time record in the IPL.

His recent performance for India in the Champions Trophy stands testament to his fitness. But, he will still have to regain his rhythm in a highly charged T20 scenario, having missed so much T20 cricket. However, he has the experience to manage that issue and his ability to swing the ball and strike in powerplay could give the team an edge.

Travis Head

The Australian scored 567 runs at an impressive strike rate of 191.55. He had four fifties and a century, with a high score of 102, and often provided explosive starts to the team in powerplay. His ability to take on both pace and spin—Team India’s bane—also makes him one of the world’s most dangerous T20 batters. 

Head has been in exceptional form across formats and won Australia’s cricketer of the year award in February. With his confidence and morale high, he could very well be a contender for the Orange Cap this season.

Abhishek Sharma

The 24-year-old had a stellar season in 2024, scoring 482 runs at an average of 32.27, including three 50s. He had a strike rate of 204.2—the highest among the top 10 run-scorers in IPL 2024. He also hit 42 sixes, the most in the tournament.

His performances earned him a 115.4 per cent increase from his IPL 2024 salary, and even that could turn out to be a bargain if he gets going this season. The signs so far are good—Sharma has continued his fine form post IPL 2024. He played 17 T20Is in 2024-25, scoring 535 runs at an average of 33.43 with a strike rate of 193.84.