All IPL franchises are required to submit their retention lists for IPL 2026 by November 15, and the build-up has already become dramatic.
Major trade discussions involving star players like Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja have dominated the headlines. Mumbai Indians have also been active, trading Shardul Thakur to LSG and Sherfane Rutherford to Gujarat Titans.
Amid all this movement, reports of Mohammed Shami possibly parting ways with Sunrisers Hyderabad have added a fresh layer of pressure for team owner Kavya Maran. In such a scenario, there are a few players SRH would never want to lose under any circumstances.
Here are the three most irreplaceable players for the franchise:
1. Abhishek Sharma
A part of the SRH setup since 2019, Abhishek Sharma has grown into one of the franchise’s biggest match-winners. His explosive batting was instrumental in taking SRH to the 2024 IPL final, and he has been the team’s second-highest run-scorer for the past two seasons.
After seven years of investment, Abhishek has blossomed into a complete T20 batter—and no franchise would willingly release a player of his calibre.
2. Travis Head
Travis Head, who joined SRH in 2024, has formed one of the most destructive opening pairs with Abhishek Sharma. Together, the duo has amassed 1,864 runs over the past two seasons. Although Head had an inconsistent 2024 campaign, he still finished as SRH’s top scorer with 567 runs.
His aggressive approach consistently provides the team with strong starts, making his partnership with Abhishek one of SRH’s biggest assets.
3. Pat Cummins
A proven leader who has guided Australia to two ICC titles, Pat Cummins has had an equally influential impact at SRH. Under his captaincy, the franchise reached the IPL 2024 final, and his strategic decision-making has often stood out.
As a bowler, he has picked up 34 wickets in the last two seasons, reaffirming his value on both leadership and performance fronts. For SRH, Cummins is simply too important to let go.
