Mumbai: As the TATA IPL 2026 Auction concludes, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s strategy has become crystal clear: the team is backing its batting to dominate matches. Speaking on ‘TATA IPL Auction Review’ on JioStar, cricket experts dissected SRH’s moves, particularly the acquisition of England all-rounder Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore.
Former India captain Anil Kumble weighed in on Livingstone’s role in the squad:
“Liam Livingstone is the kind of player who can change a game in just a few overs. He’s extremely flexible — he can open, bat at No. 3, or play in the middle order. Spending ₹13 crore is a bold call considering Pat Cummins, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen already occupy three overseas slots, with Cummins being a bowling captain who bats lower down the order.”
Kumble added that SRH’s focus on batting aligns with their philosophy:
“Clearly, SRH are backing themselves to take the game away from the opposition with their batting. They’ve done it before, and this seems very much in line with their approach. The only drawback is the limited bowling options, especially after overspending expectations on uncapped Indian players didn’t materialize.”
Robin Uthappa emphasized SRH’s batting-first mentality:
“Nothing has really changed. SRH have taken a clear stand: they want to win the championship on the back of their batting. They haven’t gone after an Indian bowler to support Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, or Jaydev Unadkat. The focus is on breaching 300 every game. The question is — where does Livingstone fit into this line-up alongside Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Cummins, and Eshan Malinga, given the overseas slots?”
He further noted concerns around SRH’s bowling depth:
“Pat Cummins is the only bowler who can consistently hold one end. Nitish Reddy is still developing, and the youth factor in the bowling unit just isn’t there. SRH are clearly relying on batting to carry them through.”
Abhinav Mukund highlighted SRH’s auction strategy and late buys:
“They spent big on Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore and Jack Edwards for ₹3 crore. They have strong all-rounders and wicket-keeping options. But only four percent of their purse went into bowling after Mohammed Shami moved to Lucknow. This shows they believe they can succeed without matching other teams’ investment in bowlers.”
With the IPL season around the corner, SRH’s batting-heavy approach will be put to the ultimate test. Will the strategy pay off, or will the lack of bowling depth prove costly? Fans are eager to find out.
