IPL 2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad rope in Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore

SRH IPL 2026 Full Squad: Sunrisers Hyderabad made a major statement at the IPL 2026 auction by securing England’s star all-rounder Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore. Here’s a detailed look at SRH’s full squad and auction strategy for the upcoming season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a purse of ₹25.50 crore, aiming to fill 10 vacant slots in the squad. Led by Pat Cummins, SRH—who impressed in the 2025 season—came in with a well-defined plan to strengthen key areas.

Ahead of the auction, the franchise released several players including Rahul Chahar, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Wiaan Mulder, Atharva Taide, and Sachin Baby. In a major move, star pacer Mohammed Shami was traded to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in an all-cash deal. These decisions freed up funds for strategic reinforcements.

Record Buy: Liam Livingstone Joins SRH

The biggest highlight of SRH’s auction was the acquisition of Liam Livingstone for a whopping ₹13 crore, making him the franchise’s costliest buy this season.

Known as one of the most destructive finishers in T20 cricket, Livingstone brings power-hitting and bowling versatility to the table. Although his IPL 2025 stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru was underwhelming—scoring just 112 runs in 8 innings—SRH backed his overall IPL pedigree.

In his IPL career so far, Livingstone has played 49 matches, scoring 1,051 runs at a strike rate of 158.76, including seven half-centuries. He also contributes with the ball, capable of bowling both leg-spin and off-spin, and has taken 13 wickets in the league.

Other Key Players Bought by SRH

Along with Livingstone, SRH strengthened their squad with a mix of domestic and overseas talent:

Jack Edwards – ₹3 crore

Salil Arora – ₹1.50 crore

Shivam Mavi – ₹75 lakh

The franchise also invested in young uncapped players, spending ₹30 lakh each on Shivang Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Omkar Termale, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, and Craines Phuletra.

This blend of experience and youth reflects SRH’s long-term vision.

Players Released and Retained Ahead of IPL 2026

SRH’s pre-auction decisions sparked discussion, especially the release of spinners Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar, which left a noticeable gap in the spin department. Despite expectations, the franchise did not pursue stars like Wanindu Hasaranga or Maheesh Theekshana.

However, SRH retained key bowlers Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel, while keeping their explosive batting core intact by retaining Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Full Squad for IPL 2026

Captain: Pat Cummins

SRH Squad:

Pat Cummins (Captain), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Brydon Carse, Kamindu Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari, Liam Livingstone, Jack Edwards, Shivam Mavi, Salil Arora, Shivang Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Omkar Termale, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Craines Phuletra.

With a power-packed batting lineup and a balanced bowling attack, Sunrisers Hyderabad look well-prepared for IPL 2026, banking on firepower, depth, and smart squad building.