Sunrisers Hyderabad made a number of statement buys ahead of the 2023 Indian Premier League, headlined by the purchase of England sensation Harry Brook.
The Yorkshire batter cost Sunrisers $1.6 million as the franchise gave their squad a fresh feel for the new campaign after a disappointing IPL 2022 in which they finished eighth in the standings, failing to reach the playoffs.
There's also been a change of captaincy at the Sunrisers, with Aiden Markram replacing Kane Williamson in the role, after the New Zealander was released after last season.
Sunrisers have underperformed in recent years but have a new look about them this time around, with Heinrich Klaasen, Mayank Agarwal and Adil Rashid also freshly signed up for 2023. Here's a look at their squad and its strengths and weaknesses.
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SRH 2023 IPL squad
Williamson hasn't been at the top of his game in the IPL in recent years, and his bid to prove a point with new team Gujarat Titans this year was ended by injury. The addition of Rashid will be fascinating: he's been a premier white-ball spinner for a long while now, although his IPL experience is very limited.
| Player | Role | Age | Auction Price | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Markram (c) | Batter | 28 | IND 2.6 crore ($314,000) | South Africa |
| Abdul Samad | Batter | 21 | IND 4 crore ($484,000) | India |
| Rahul Tripathi | Batter | 32 | IND 8.5 crore ($1m) | India |
| Glenn Phillips | Batter | 26 | IND 1.5 crore ($181,000) | New Zealand |
| Abhishek Sharma | All-rounder | 22 | IND 6.5 crore ($786,000) | India |
| Marco Jansen | All-rounder | 22 | IND 4.2 crore ($500,000) | South Africa |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder | 23 | IND 8.7 crore ($1.05m) | India |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | Pace bowler | 22 | IND 50 lakhs ($60,000) | Afghanistan |
| Kartik Tyagi | Pace bowler | 22 | IND 4 crore ($484,000) | India |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Pace bowler | 33 | IND 4.2 crore ($500,000) | India |
| T Natarajan | Pace bowler | 31 | IND 4 crore ($484,000) | India |
| Umran Malik | Pace bowler | 23 | IND 4 crore ($484,000) | India |
| Harry Brook | Batter | 24 | IND 13.25 crore ($1.6m) | England |
| Mayank Agarwal | Batter | 32 | IND 8.25 crore ($998,00) | India |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Batter/wicket-keeper | 31 | IND 5.25 crore ($635,000) | South Africa |
| Adil Rashid | Spinner | 35 | IND 2 crore ($260,00) | England |
| Vivrant Sharma | Spinner | 23 | IND 2.6 crore ($315,00) | India |
| Mayank Markande | Spinner | 25 | IND 50 lakhs ($60,000) | India |
| Samarth Vyas | Batter | 27 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Sanvir Singh | All-rounder | 26 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Upendra Singh Yadav | Batter/wicket-keeper | 26 | IND 25 lakhs ($30,000) | India |
| Mayank Dagar | Spinner | 26 | IND 1.8 crore ($217,00) | India |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | Batter | 19 | IND 20 lakhs ($24,000) | India |
| Anmolpreet Singh | Batter | 24 | IND 70 lakhs ($85,000) | India |
| Akeal Hosein | Spinner | 29 | IND 1 crore ($130,00) | West Indies |
Sunrisers Hyderabad stars, strengths & weaknesses
Batting depth appears no problem at all for the Sunrisers, even without Williamson and with former stalwart David Warner no longer with the franchise either. Power-hitting, particularly in the middle order, looks like it will be an area of strength.
Stars
There's a lot of pressure on Harry Brook given the fee involved for his services, but the 24-year-old Englishman has stood up to every challenge he's faced in his short career so far.
He'll probably slot in at number four or five, alongside the likes of Glenn Phillips — an innovative and adaptable middle-order star — and the big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen.
Then there's pressure on new skipper Markram to set the tone at the top of the order.
Captain #AidenAnna in 🧡
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 14, 2023
𝟾𝟶% 𝙻𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐...
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧⬜⬜#IPL2023 #OrangeFireIdhi #OrangeArmypic.twitter.com/xKXlTUiIKi
Strengths
As well as the batting mentioned above, the Sunrisers have plenty of pace in their arsenal. Umran Malik can crank it up to the 155kph mark and his raw speed should complement the guile and craft of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who will get the new white ball to swing.
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Washington Sundar and Marco Jansen are both stellar all-rounders who bring balance to the side, while Abhishek Sharma is one of the most exciting young Indian batters new to the IPL scene and will be looking to make an impact. The Sunrisers have plenty of bases covered.
Weaknesses
Jansen and Thangarasu Natarajan are both useful seam options, too, although there's a potential shortage of death bowling options and a lack of depth that could mean any injuries are harshly felt.
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