The Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH) made their IPL debut in the 2013 season and won their first, and only IPL trophy so far, in 2016, led by David Warner when they defeated RCB at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.
Sunrisers Hyderabad showed great consistency from 2016 to 2020, qualifying in the top 4 for five straight seasons. In the last two seasons, however, Sundirsers Hyderabad fumbled their way and now for a third straight season running, they are on the verge of missing the IPL playoffs.
This could also be down to their releasing of some important, world-class players who they might now regret releasing.
Here are big mistakes SRH did by releasing these 3 players:
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan had become a serial T20 match-winner and arguably the best T20 bowler in the world when, ahead of the IPL 2022 mega-auction, Franchise decided to release him. It was reported that Rashid wanted the first retention over Kane Williamson, but Hyderabad based franchise, having appointed Williamson as their captain didn’t budge and neither did Rashid and both parted ways.
While Rashid went on to win the title with Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 and now is turning into a proper all-rounder, plus is GT’s vice-captain, Sunrisers Hyderabad are struggling in the doldrums.
Releasing of Rashid Khan by Sunrisers Hyderabad is perhaps the biggest mistake a franchise has ever made.
Jonny Bairstow
Bairstow was with Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2019 to 2021 and, surprisingly, was also released by the franchise ahead of 2022 mega-auction. For SRH, Bairstow cracked 1038 runs at an average of 41 and strike rate of 142 with 7 fifties and 1 century. He’s now with Punjab Kings as one of the most dominating, fearsome batters in the world.
KL Rahul
Over the last three seasons, Sunrisers have had problems with having overseas captains. This could have been and they would have had one of the best openers in the world in Rahul had they not traded him to RCB after the 2015 season.
By then KL Rahul had already become a young sensation and had made his India Test debut, yet, They decided to release this young talented batsman who later smashed the record of the fastest fifty in the IPL, off 14 balls.
Rahul is now the captain of the LSG team and led them to playoffs in IPL 2022.
