Despite an underwhelming commencement, Sunrisers Hyderabad had a relatively acceptable campaign in 2020. A few youngsters stepped up, and a couple of judicious displays led them to No.3 on the overall standings. That said, if they go with the same team for IPL 2021, things could get harder.
A few key buys are essential, and if a mega-auction occurs, these signings can be made easily. Before that, though, the franchise must settle on the players they will retain for the upcoming season.
In this article, we talk about five players whom SRH must look to retain if there is a mega-auction before IPL 2021.
1. David Warner
David Warner is a monster when it comes to the Indian Premier League. He inevitably puts on those important performances and makes sure SRH always starts on the right note. His captaincy is also perfect, and more importantly, the fans of the team have already owned him as their leader. Hence, he must be at the top of the retainment list. With him at the top of the order, SRH will also have to worry less about their batting. Of course, the middle-part needs to have an improvement, but with Warner, the pressure is slightly less.
2. Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen on the planet. He is almost on par with Virat Kohli, and there is no way that SRH must think of releasing him. As seen in IPL 2020, Kane was the difference between SRH qualifying to the playoffs and ending in the bottom half of the table. His presence at No.4 also gives the top order some freedom to play their natural game. In terms of the leadership group, Kane is as important to the unit as Warner. Moreover, if they release him, the likes of CSK would make sure that his price would go out of reach.
3. Rashid Khan
Much like the above two, Rashid Khan is an equally important pillar at SRH. His four overs are priceless, and almost every time changes the game in the favor of SRH. The Afghan has also the knack for picking important wickets in crucial situations. He is still young, and SRH must keep him at all costs. Although it has not been on display, Rashid can also be a good batsman. He has the power to muscle the ball and maybe, in future editions, we might see him enact the role played by Sunil Narine for KKR.
4. T Natarajan
Now, SRH could have to make a tough call here. Bhuvi has been at the center of the franchise’s growth, and SRH might, unfortunately, have to release him before the next season. Bhuvneshwar is extremely injury-prone, and this will not serve the team well in the long run. The bowling line-up has anyways done well without him. Hence, it might be the right time to replace him with T Natarajan. The 29-year-old is in top form and has all the necessities to be a world-class T20 bowler. Him being a left-armer is also an advantage, and therefore, we feel Nattu must be retained ahead of Bhuvi.
5. Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey will most probably leave SRH if there is a mega-auction. This has to do more with his exorbitant price-tag. However, if there is a chance, SRH must retain him. Manish is a quality player, and it is just that at SRH, there is too much pressure on him to justify his fee. If SRH can arrange a better middle-order with both Manish and Kane playing the focal points, we could see a better performance by the Karnataka player. Also, although very far-fetched, Manish can be a decent captaincy option for the franchise.
