IPL 2021: 5 players SRH should release ahead of the auction

In an Indian Premier League (IPL) season where they struggled for the most part before mounting a late dash to the playoffs, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) overachieved with a third-place finish. The IPL 2016 champions overcame the loss of key personnel, with some forced changes making immediate impact.

David Warner crossed 500 season runs, while Rashid Khan and Kane Williamson were dependable once again. Manish Pandey looked to settle into his role at No. 3, as did Wriddhiman Saha towards the close of the season as an opener. Jason Holder showed his all-round prowess, while Mohammad Nabi remains an important option. With the ball, it was T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma who held the team up.

However, SRH had a mediocre season owing to a few team balance issues. Here are the five players they should release ahead of the auction.

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#5 Basil Thampi (IPL 2018-2020)

Basil Thampi has faded away after a strong debut season with the Gujarat Lions in 2017.

A decent first season with the Gujarat Lions in 2017 ensured Kerala seamer Basil Thampi was picked up by the team which stocks up on Indian pacers for fun. However, it has been a bit of a struggle for Thampi to consistently make the SRH starting XI. Such is SRH's depth in bowling that Thampi has been afforded just 8 opportunities across 3 IPL seasons for them.

An IPL career economy rate of 9.79 and just 17 wickets from his 20 games are disappointing returns for Thampi. Although he has been recognised in the domestic circuit for his performances, his displays in the IPL leave much to be desired. With SRH's available bowling pool, they can afford to release Thampi and look for more impressive options.

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#4 Shreevats Goswami (IPL 2018-2020)

A back-up keeper for most of his IPL career, Goswami is an unnecessary investment for SRH.

In the hunt for a back-up wicket-keeper, Sunrisers Hyderabad picked up Shreevats Goswami in the 2018 IPL auctions. Although he has been a decent performer at the domestic level - he averages close to 40 in List A cricket, and 27 in all T20s - Goswami's IPL career has been one of playing the waiting game. Seldom trusted to be the primary wicketkeeper - as he was in 2012 with the Rajasthan Royals - Goswami hasn't quite held on to his opportunities either.

One of the few players who played in both the inaugural and in the most recent IPL, Goswami has a disappointing average of below 15 with the bat, striking at just above 99. With Wriddhiman Saha showing his batting form, and Jonny Bairstow still a big part of SRH's plans, Goswami can be replaced by another Indian wicket-keeper batsman.

#3 Fabian Allen (IPL 2020)

Fabian Allen is unlikely to be part of SRH's playing XI based on their current strategy.

Jamaican all-rounder Fabian Allen was roped in for INR 50 lakh in the 2020 IPL auction, potentially as a backup to Mohammad Nabi in that position. Predictably given the strength of SRH's foreign contingent, Allen did not get a game and is very unlikely to do so next year either.

Though his international batting numbers are quite unremarkable, with low averages and a T20I strike rate under 117, Allen has a decent record in T20s overall. Someone who is a handy finger-spinner along with being a clean striker of the ball, he made news when he missed his flight to be ruled out of the Caribbean Premier League 2020. Going by his recent performances, he may not have a flight to catch for IPL 2021.

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#2 Billy Stanlake (IPL 2018-2020)

Billy Stanlake was ruled out due to injury in 2018 and never featured for SRH again.

Someone who has been around but hardly gotten IPL games, 26-year old Queenslander Billy Stanlake, would find himself unlucky to be behind in the pecking order. SRH's strategy over the last three years hardly allows them to play an overseas seamer, thus worsening Stanlake's plight.

Although his IPL returns aren't too bad - an economy rate of 8.33 and seven wickets from six games - franchises tend to be incredibly discretionary when choosing foreign seamers. The two-metre tall pacer hasn't done enough outside the IPL to demand starting XI selection, and SRH would be better off searching elsewhere. The emergence of Jason Holder, too, seems to have firmly shut the door on Stanlake's chances at SRH.

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#1 Khaleel Ahmed (IPL 2018-2020)

SRH seems to have moved on from Khaleel, particularly if Bhuvneshwar remains fit.

A disastrous IPL debut game in 2018 was all that Rajasthan pacer Khaleel Ahmed got, but it was a roaring 2019 season - 19 wickets from 9 games at a strike rate of just 11 - that ensured Khaleel remained on the national selectors' minds. With T Natarajan's emergence, Khaleel's stocks as a left-arm pace option have dipped both internationally and in his IPL team.

Eight wickets from seven games hardly scream for attention in an SRH team filled with Indian capped bowling talent. An IPL career economy that is just shy of 9 also does not make his case particularly strong. SRH can afford to let Khaleel go for a better-performing Indian pacer, which might also allow the tall seamer more opportunities.