The sun finally rose, but not the way it should have. Sunrisers Hyderabad, who were the runners up in last IPL, was ordinary at best this time around. One can say that it was just their luck which got them home. They became the first ever team to qualify for the playoffs with 12 points, but that was not the record they would have wanted.
After the departure of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow, who had held this team together, the matters have become worse. It has brought down the responsibility of batting to the middle order, that has even failed to play the second fiddle to these two. Their skipper Kane Williamson hasn't been consistent, and Vijay Shankar has been a shadow of the player he is.
It is the time when SRH take some tough calls and make some much necessary calls, which is vital to make a much better team combination. On this note, let us take a look at the four players whom SRH should drop in the next season.
#1 Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill is an example of a player whose talent is going waste due to the four overseas pillars. Unfortunately, a team can't play more than 4 foreigners and SRH can't drop any of them.
He has been a trusted and accountable batsman for New Zealand for years now. He has played over 200 international matches. The only dream of him that hasn't been fulfilled is the IPL. He has played only 7 matches in the history of the tournament, where he has scored 234 runs.
Therefore, it will be good if SRH release him. Although this won't contribute much in freeing up the purse value, this will certainly help him find a team where he can at least feature in the playing XI.
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#2 Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib al Hasan has gone totally unutilized in this IPL, the reason being the flourish of the Afgan spin twins, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan and the batting-heavy SRH team. Also, it is impossible for the team to drop him in place of 4 strong foreign players.
In just the 3 matches that he has played, he has taken only 2 wickets and scored 9 runs, something which isn't expected from a player like him. From the perspective of SRH, it will be good to drop him; the reason is that he won't get enough chances even in the future. Dropping him will only do good, both to the team and him.
Also, if they manage to get an uncapped Indian batsman or bowler, that can be a very good choice for the struggling and inconsistent batting and bowling unit of the team.
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#3 Yusuf Pathan
Yusuf Pathan was one of the finest players of his time. He was a big headache for the opposition teams. However, the time has now come when he steps down and allows younger players to get their chances.
Undoubtedly, the 36-year-old has played very fewer balls, but being a finisher, he has to deliver even in those balls. But he has been able to manage only 40 runs in 10 innings at a disappointing strike rate of 88.88. Poor fielding has been another concern, as the veteran has dropped some school-boy catches
Therefore, it is the time when SRH look beyond him. They should invest more in raw talents like Deepak Hooda. He has done well in the limited chances that he has got. He had scored a 3-ball-14 to take his team above par total against the Kings XI Punjab. If groomed, he can be a very good finisher for SRH.
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#4 Shahbaz Nadeem
Shahbaz Nadeem was one of the 3 players traded from Delhi Capitals at the cost of Shikhar Dhawan. He was carrying a lot of expectations from the team, but he failed to get enough chances. He played just 2 matches, in which he scalped 2 wickets.
But the fact of the matter is that he could have done way better, had he have got regular matches. His career economy is just 7.48, but the presence of multiple superstars in the bowling department did not help his cause.
The kind of talent he possesses, it is absolutely unfair to keep him on the sideline. He needs a team which can at least consider him in the playing XI; as his talent is going unutilized here. Therefore, he should be sent back to the auction pool.
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