SRH At IPL 2026: Key Facts, Fixtures, Best Finishes, Squad - Definitive Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be hoping to get their attacking mojo back in the 2026 Indian Premier League season after a disappointing outing last season.

The Orange Army had finished as runners-up in 2024 but in 2025, the team endured an unbelievable slump, finishing 6th with 15 points to their name. The Pat Cummins-led side won 6 and lost 7 games despite keeping their core intact.

It will be fair to say that Hyderabad became way too predictable with other teams being able to successfully counter their attacking approach. That's why, SRH has made a few substantial changes to their side.

First and foremost, the change in captaincy from Pat Cummins to Ishan Kishan. This decision clearly indicates that the franchise wants is looking for a domestic leader who can hold on to the team, that too, for a long period of time.

And they could not have chosen anyone better than Ishan Kishan. The Jharkhand batter has made a fiery comeback to the international scene after getting dropped from the national side as well as the central contract.

Kishan returned to domestic cricket, piled up a lot of runs and also led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali 2025 trophy. His hard work was then rewarded by the selectors, who picked him as a key batter for India in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

The 27-year-old was a key pillar behind India's 3rd World T20 title on home soil. Kishan will find his India teammate Abhishek Sharma as his deputy.

Hyderabad's biggest strength remains their batting order. The opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma remains the most feared in the league, capable of dismantling any bowling attack within the powerplay.

The addition of Liam Livingstone will further bolster the middle order that already features the destructive Heinrich Klaasen.

A major talking point for SRH this year is their revamped spin department, led by breakout domestic star Harsh Dubey, who arrives following a successful domestic season.

Although the pace unit will miss Pat Cummins in the first phase of the league, a lot will be depending on the Indian duo of Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat.

The team's success will depend on whether their high-risk batting approach can remain consistent across the long tournament and if the young spinners can provide the mid-innings breakthroughs.

Indian Premier League: Sunrisers Hyderabad's Best Finishes

The Hyderabad franchise has tasted the ultimate success twice. Their first title came when they were known as the Deccan Chargers in 2009. The franchise's second trophy arrived in 2016 under David Warner’s captaincy after a high-scoring final against RCB.

They also reached the finals in 2018 and 2024, but are yet to land their 3rd title.

Indian Premier League 2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad Schedule

March 28: RCB Vs SRH (M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru)

April 2: KKR Vs SRH (Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata)

April 5: SRH Vs LSG (Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad)

April 11: PBKS Vs SRH (PCA New Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh)

Indian Premier League 2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad

Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, R. Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari, Salil Arora, Shivang Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Krains Fuletra, Praful Hinge, Amit Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Liam Livingstone and Jack Edwards.