IPL Auction 2021: SRH team prediction, David Warner & Co.'s roster and purse available

After last year's blockbuster season of the Indian Premier League, teams have begun to gear up for the 14th edition of the cash-rich league (IPL 2021). The forthcoming IPL Auction 2021 is scheduled to be held on Thursday, February 18, in Chennai. The Sunrisers Hyderabad will enter the event with ₹10.75 crores. Here we take a look at the SRH team prediction and other available information regarding the franchise. 

A prediction of SRH auction purchases

The Indian Premier League has successfully established itself as the prominent franchise-based cricketing league in the world. The immense popularity of the tournament can be credited to the fact that young budding cricketers are provided with a significant platform where they get to rub shoulders alongside international stalwarts of the game. Over a thousand players had expressed their interest in being a part of the competition this year.

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However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has curtailed the number down to 292. With so many promising cricketers set to go under the hammer, the SRH team will look to further strengthen their side. They do not have a hefty bank balance with them, which could also have an impact on their preferred plans going into the IPL Auction 2021. Here is a look at our prediction for at least three SRH auction purchases.

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Shakib Al Hasan

The Bangladeshi all-rounder's game is very suitable for the shortest format. The player has the ability to score runs at a frantic pace with the bat, and he can also bowl his quota of four overs effectively. The franchise has only a single slot available for an overseas cricketer and Shakib Al Hasan could emerge as the frontrunner for the position because of his all-round capabilities. Moreover, the left-hander has represented the David Warner-led team in the past and has also done well for them. 

Harbhajan Singh 

Being the veteran of the league, the off-spinner will add significant experience to the team's bowling line-up. Over the years, SRH have relied more on their bowling brilliance to win matches, and having Harbhajan Singh alongside Rashid Khan seems to be a formidable bowling partnership. The 40-year-old was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings for his base price of ₹ 2 crores ahead of the 2018 season and the experienced campaigner performed exceptionally well for them.

Shai Hope 

The team relies heavily on David Warner and Kane Williamson when it comes to doing the damage with the bat. They had an inexperienced middle-order last year, and it did cost them several crucial games. In an attempt to further strengthen their batting order, they could probably go after Shai Hope. Along with scoring runs quickly, the batter can also steady the ship in the middle if needed. 

SRH players released and retained: A detailed look

The SRH franchise released just five cricketers from its squad of the previous edition of the tournament. Sunrisers Hyderabad released Billy Stanlake, Fabian Allen, Sanjay Yadav, B. Sandeep and Y. Prithvi Raj. Meanwhile, they retained as many as 22 players from their previous squad, including captain and star-attraction David Warner. T. Natarajan, who recently made his international debut in all formats in Australia, will also reprise his role in the upcoming season.

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List of retained SRH players:

David Warner (c), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Priyam Garg, Virat Singh, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Mitchell Marsh, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, T. Natarajan, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi, Shahbaz Nadeem, Siddharth Kaul and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

SRH team management updates 

Tom Moody, who has served as a head coach for the SRH team for seven long years, was replaced by England's World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss for the previous season. However, Moody is all set to return to the franchise. But this time the Australian will be the Director of Cricket for the franchise. 

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Image source: Sunrisers Hyderabad Instagram