Sunrisers Hyderabad debuted in the IPL in 2013. They reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, between 2016 and 2020, winning the title in 2016 and finishing runners-up in 2018. However, their fortunes took a u-turn since then, and they finished last in both 2021 and 2023.

Ahead of the 2024 auction, they traded Shahbaz Ahmed from Royal Challengers Bengaluru in return of Mayank Dagar. At the auction, they invested heavily in overseas stars like Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, and bolstered their pace attack by drafting in Jaydev Unadkat.

Aiden Markram led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, also owned by the same franchise, to consecutive titles at the SA20. In a curious move, Hyderabad replaced Markram at the helm with Cummins, who has never led in a professional T20 match.

The coaching staff underwent significant change as well. They replaced Brian Lara with Daniel Vettori as head coach. And after Dale Steyn resigned as bowling coach, they appointed James Franklin.

Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for IPL 2024

* new buys in the auction.

Batters

Aiden Markram, Travis Head*, Rahul Tripathi, Mayank Agarwal, Abdul Samad, Anmolpreet Singh

Wicketkeepers

Heinrich Klaasen, Upendra Yadav

All-rounders

Wanindu Hasaranga*, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed*, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Sanvir Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy

Bowlers

Pat Cummins* (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Jaydev Unadkat*, Umran Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Singh*, Mayank Markande, J Subramanyan

SRH schedule for IPL 2024

Schedule for only the first 21 matches of IPL 2024 have been announced so far.

Match 3: Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Saturday, March 23, 7.30pm, Kolkata
Match 8: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians, Wednesday, March 27, 7.30pm, Hyderabad
Match 12: Gujarat Titans v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sunday, March 31, 3.30pm, Ahmedabad
Match 18: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings, Friday, April 5, 7.30pm, Hyderabad

All timings local

SRH in IPL 2024: Team news and injury updates

In this edition, Sunrisers have the best overseas contingent by some distance, but picking four of them may offset the team balance. As captain, Cummins will start, as should Klaasen and Markram, leaving room for at most one from Head, Hasaranga, Jansen, Phillips, and Farooqi.

The lack of Indian all-rounders – Shahbaz and Sundar are the only ones, though Abhishek does bowl – may hurt them if they start with Cummins, Klaasen, Markram, and Head.

Sunrisers Hyderabad probable XIs with Impact player options

At home

Probable XI: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, Umran Malik.

Impact player options: T Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Washington Sundar.

The bowling may be thin, but Abhishek, Markram, Head, and Samad all bowl. And if Hyderabad bat first, they can use the Impact Player option to get in another bowler.

Away:

Probable XI: Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik.

Impact player options: T Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Washington Sundar, J Subramanyan.

On a spin-friendly wicket, however, Sunrisers are likely to back Hasaranga over Head.