5 players Sunrisers Hyderabad should buy at the IPL auction 2017

Sunrisers Hyderabad rose above all expectations to lift the IPL Trophy in 2016. They did so on the back of an incredibly inspired season from David Warner and a well-knit bowling unit. While they weren’t rated highly at the beginning of the season, with their consistent performances, people started to notice that they had a pretty solid unit.

They are rock solid at the top of the order with left-handers Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner forming one of the best opening partnerships. In the middle order, players like Kane Williamson, Yuvraj Singh and Moises Henriques have the ability to assess situations and adapt their playing styles accordingly.

Their bowling unit is arguably the best in the IPL with the likes of Ashish Nehra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mustafizur Rahman proving to be deadly.

With that said, they would like to strengthen a few areas of concern in this year’s auction. While Kane Williamson is one of the best players in the world, his suitability to twenty 20 cricket can sometimes be questioned. After having released Karn Sharma, they would need a leg-spinner as well.

Here, we take a look at 5 players the SRH should buy at the IPL auction.

Sunrisers Hyderabad squad - Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, David Warner, Moises Henriques, Naman Ojha, Ricky Bhui, Kane Williamson, Siddharth Kaul, Bipul Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Cutting, Abhimanyu Mithun, Mustafizur Rahman, Barinder Sran, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar

#5 Ish Sodhi (Base price – 30L)

A wicket-taking leg-spinner is absolutely crucial for success in the IPL and each team has their own specalist. After having released Karn Sharma, the Sunrisers will definitely be looking for a replacement in the auction.

At a base price of 30 Lakhs, the in-form Ish Sodhi should find a home at the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Just last month, playing for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, he picked up 6 wickets in a game showing his effectiveness in the format. He has a good googly in his armour and can be deadly when used in the powerplay as well.

The only real deficiency in the SRH squad is that of a leggie and Sodhi can be that man for them.

T20 career stats

Matches	Wickets	Average	Economy rate	Best figures
55	60	21.96	7.14	6/11

Nathan Coulter-Nile can be deadly at the top of the order

#4 Nathan Coultner-Nile (Base price - 100L)

It never really worked out for Trent Boult at the Sunrisers Hyderabad and that’s a pity, because he’s a pretty fabulous bowler. Having released the Kiwi speedster, a top-quality pacer is of high importance to the Sunrisers.

Australia’s Nathan Coulter-Nile is a great option for the team. Though he doesn’t come cheap, the SRH have over 2 crores left in the purse for the auction. The 29-year-old adds considerable depth to the bowling unit and allows the team some cover if any of the pacers get injured.

He has played for the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils in the past and had a fabulous season in 2015, when he picked up 15 wickets for the Daredevils.

IPL career stats

Matches	Wickets	Average	Economy rate	Best figures
18	21	23.38	7.49	4/20

#3 Ishank Jaggi (Base price – 10L)

Watch out for Ishank Jaggi at this year’s IPL auction, there’s a high chance that he might go for a lot of money. The Jharkhand batsman is riding a wave of momentum after becoming the latest entrant to the IPL auction after an absolutely fabulous performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament.

Batting at #3 for his team East Zone, he was highly successful and can replicate the same form for the Sunrisers should they choose to find a replacement for Kane Williamson in the squad. He has recently shown that he has the ability to score runs quickly and that’s what makes him a perfect fit at the Sunrisers.

They might have to enter a bidding war to secure his services but given his recent form, it will be worth it.

T20 career stats

Matches	Runs	Average	Strike-rate	Highest score
52	1289	32.22	117.6	108*

#2 Aditya Tare (Base price – 20L)

Mumbai-born Aditya Tare is one who has plenty of IPL experience and has been around for a few years now. While it does seem strange for the Sunrisers to acquire his services just after they released him, they can buy him for cheaper in this year’s auction.

His price shot all the way up to 1.2 crore in the previous auction but there’s a very slim chance of that happening again. The Sunrisers need cover for Naman Ojha and Tare is the perfect squad player. He was not in the best of form during the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament but has shown his prowess with the bat over the years.

IPL career stats

Matches	Runs	Average	Strike-rate	Highest score
32	321	15.28	128.4	59

#1 Sean Abbott (Base price – 30L)

Australian bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott could be the perfect pick for the Sunrisers. His compatriot Moises Henriques will be expected to shine after his heroics lately but Abbott would add a lot of depth to the squad.

Having been a part of RCB’s squad in 2015, he only played two games and never got the chance to show off his abilities. In the Big Bash this season, he picked up 20 wickets and comes into the IPL in good form.

He is pretty useful with the bat as well and can do well lower down the order.