3 players SRH must target at the IPL 2026 auction ft. Ravi Bishnoi

The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) are on the back of a poor Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign where they were nowhere in the playoff reckoning. The Orange Army will thus have some work to do at the 2026 auction on Tuesday, December 16.

SRH have a decent purse, having traded away Mohammed Shami and released a host of underperforming players. While their core remains intact, there are a few key slots in the playing XII that need to be filled.

Players released: Mohammed Shami (traded to LSG), Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Abhinav Manohar, Wiaan Mulder, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Rahul Chahar.

Players retained: Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins, R Smaran, Travis Head, Zeeshan Ansari.

On that note, here are three players SRH must target at the IPL 2026 auction.

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#3 Jason Holder

New Zealand v West Indies: 3rd T20 - Source: Getty

Having released Wiaan Mulder, SRH could use a good pace-bowling all-rounder in the lower order. Jason Holder is one of the best options available at the IPL 2026 auction, having stepped up his game in recent times.

Holder is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket in 2025, and his strike rate has gone up as well. His slower balls and cutters could be useful in Hyderabad, where run-scoring has proved incredibly easy.

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#2 Ravi Bishnoi

2025 IPL - Lucknow Super Giants v Chennai Super Kings - Source: Getty

It seems inevitable that SRH will bid for Ravi Bishnoi at the IPL 2026 auction. Whether they will manage to get him remains to be seen, but he's certainly someone who would greatly improve their playing XI.

Bishnoi would compete with Zeeshan Ansari for a spot in the side, with the SunRisers having released Rahul Chahar. While he hasn't had a great time in the IPL lately, his potential is obvious. SRH need a quality wrist-spinner to round off their attack, and Bishnoi fits the bill well.

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#1 Akash Deep

2025 IPL - Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

After Mohammed Shami's trade to the Lucknow Super Giants, SRH are in need of a quality powerplay bowler. Options are limited in the IPL 2026 auction pool, but one player they could target is Akash Deep.

Deep hasn't made a splash in the IPL yet, but he has the raw materials needed to become a decent powerplay bowler in the shortest format. With his ability to swing and seam the new ball, apart from some hitting prowess lower down the order, Hyderabad could use what he provides.