IPL 2020: 5 Players Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) should target in the auction

The IPL Auction 2020 will take place this Thursday in Kolkata as all the franchises will look to fill in the gaps of their respective squads. The teams had earlier declared their respective list of retained and released players. And, among all the franchises, Sunrisers Hyderabad released the least players.

The Orange Army let go of Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui and Martin Guptill to free up their funds before the auction. The Kane Williamson-led had made it to the playoffs in IPL 2019 however, they could not capture their second IPL championship.

Thus, with an aim of winning the IPL trophy for the second time, here are the 5 players SRH may target in the approaching auction:

Virat Singh

The big-hitting Indian domestic batsman, Virat Singh will prove to be a hot commodity in the IPL Auction. Nicknamed as the ‘Left-handed Virat’ of India, Singh can ignite a bidding war on 19^th December. The Bihar-based player had impressed a lot in the domestic circuit.

He has played 56 T20 matches in his domestic career, scoring 1,552 runs at a strike rate of 124.45. Singh had been an integral part of team Jharkhand in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy. He had played a magnificent inning of 56 runs versus Gujarat.

Sunrisers Hyderabad need a big-hitting Indian player now that they have released Yusuf Pathan and Deepak Hooda. Hence, Virat could prove to be a perfect replacement in the SRH squad. The 22-year-old can even bowl a few overs of leg-break in the middle.

Rahul Tripathi

During his stint with the Rising Pune Supergiant, Rahul Tripathi was deemed to be the next big thing in Indian cricket. The top-order batsman from Maharashtra earned himself a contract from Rajasthan Royals after the disbandment of Pune.

Since Rajasthan Royals already had Jos Buttler, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith and Sanju Samson in their squad, they could not make the utmost use of Tripathi’s services. He played at a number of positions but he could not settle down in the team.

Thus, the inaugural IPL winners decided to end their association with him ahead of the 2020 season. Sunrisers Hyderabad could invest in Tripathi because as mentioned ahead, they have let go of two big all-rounders from their team and Tripathi can prove to be a valuable addition.

David Wiese

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore star, David Wiese has been away from the IPL ever since his contract with the RCB franchise expired. The South African star is a proven match-winner in the T20 format who can turn the game with his all-round brilliance.

He is playing fantastically in the ongoing Mzansi Super League and given that he has featured in a plethora of T20 tournaments worldwide, he can be an asset for any team in the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad are known to be talent hunters hence, they will have an eye on Wiese.

Although the quartet of Jonny Bairstow, David Warner, Rashid Khan and Kane Williamson would lock the four overseas spots of Sunrisers Hyderabad, they may need an all-rounder who can replace the suspended Shakib Al Hasan. Thus, the South African player may return to IPL in 2020.

Eoin Morgan

Having been a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise earlier, Morgan would have a clear idea about the conditions at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The English skipper has been in phenomenal touch of late hence, he will be on the wishlist of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

As mentioned ahead, Sunrisers Hyderabad have a good bunch of foreign talent in their squad but it is not guaranteed that they will stay fit for the entire season or they will stay in good form during the entire course of the season. Last year, the fans saw how Kane Williamson struggled with his fitness and form.

In this situation, Morgan can prove to be a resourceful asset for Hyderabad. Not only can the Englishman chip in with some handy knocks in the middle order but he can also lead the team in Williamson’s absence. Hence, there are multiple reasons why SRH should sign Morgan.

James Neesham

James Neesham’s remarkable performances after IPL 2019 have ensured that the New Zealand all-rounder will earn a contract at the IPL Auction 2020. He had been away from the tourney because of injuries and poor form however, he has been the cornerstone of New Zealand this year.

Talking about his impressive performances in the World Cup 2019 first, the all-rounder was a part of New Zealand’s top 3 run scorers as well as top 3 wicket-takers. This indicates that he is in good shape and can play all the matches in the IPL.

While David Wiese is a big name in the T20 circuit, he has not played much international cricket. And, the difficulty level in the IPL is just as equal as international cricket. Hence, Neesham should be the priority pick for Sunrisers Hyderabad.