IPL 2025: Sunrisers Hyderabad SWOT Analysis

In this article, we take a look at the SWOT Analysis of last season’s runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad, following the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. 

Strength

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have come out of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction with one of the best squads on paper. They were bold and aggressive in the auction and added pieces that’d make their playing XI that much more competitive with key additions in the both batting and bowling departments. 

SRH paid the highest retention fee to retain the services of South African Heinrich Klaasen (Rs 23 cr) with their opening duo Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma along with Nitish Kumar Reddy and captain Pat Cummins completing the retention list. 

The addition of Ishant Kishan makes the SRH top-five one of the most explosive batting line-ups in the league, as evident from their exploits during last season. They’ve also added Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis and English allrounder Brydon Carse to provide the finishing touch. 

Moreover, the addition of Mohammad Shami and Harshal Patel improves their fast bowling department considerably, with the former starring for the Gujarat Titans during their 2022 title winning run. Besides, the Impact Sub rule will also allow Pat Cummins to use both Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel during the death overs, leaving Shami and Cummins to do the damage up front. 

Weakness

Irrespective of all the good things highlighted above, there is one aspect of this SRH side that hits you right in the face. The lack of quality Indian spinners. 

As things stand, Sunrisers only have Rahul Chahar as their bonafide spin bowler. Despite their quality batting order and variety of fast bowlers, they’ve missed a trick by not strengthening their spin bowling department.

Chahar, the 25-year-old Rajasthan-based leg break bowler has endured two sub-par seasons with Punjab Kings in 2023 and 2024, picking up only 18 wickets in 22 outings at an economy rate of more than 8.5 in slow and low wickets. 

Although they do have the luxury to either field Adam Zampa or Kamindu Mendis when tasked with navigating slow and turning wickets, it means they’ll have to bench fast bowling allrounder Brydon Carse, who’s having an excellent time with the England national team. 

Opportunity

Following his breakthrough season with Sunrisers Hyderabad last term, Andhra Pradesh all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy will be coming into IPL 2025 as a full-fledged India international. With SRH’s explosive top-order, there were instances where the SRH top-order collapsed last season and the 21-year-old will add consistency and temperament to their middle-order as evident from his recent exploits Down Under. 

With the likes of Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Pat Cummins being one of the first names on the teamsheet, it leaves Brydon Carse and Kamindu Mendis fighting it out for that fourth overseas slot. While both Carse and Mendis provide explosive fire-power lower down the batting order, the 29-year-old Carse gives SRH fast bowling depth whereas Mendis will provide them with a second spin bowling option, which will come handy during the latter stages of the league phase when pitches become dusty and weary. 

Another player who can have a big say this season is Kerala veteran Sachin Baby. The 35-year-old has been in fine form in the domestic circuit, scoring runs at a rate well above 160 in domestic T20 cricket while average above 80 in red ball cricket.

Threat

The main threat to SRH’s aspirations will be their lack in Indian batting depth. With Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhinav Manohar all primed to start for SRH, they only have Sachin Baby and youngster Aniket Verma to turn to if one of their main batters fail to fire or go down with injury. Given it’ll be a 14-17 game-long season, the SRH management will be hoping none of their key batters go down injuried as it will most likely expose their fragile bench. Thus, for a team that has all the ingredients to go all the way, only injuries and a sudden drop in form can derail their aspirations of winning their second IPL title this season. 

Probable XII: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Nitish Reddy, Abhinav Manohar, Brydon Carse/Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat/Atharva Taide (Impact Sub) 

Prediction: 4th