Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra stated that the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) need to retain Pat Cummins before the IPL 2025 auction. He further added that the franchise might have to convince Cummins to continue leading them for the next three years as well. However, SRH finished last in IPL 2023 under Aiden Markram’s captaincy and then they acquired Cummins for a whopping ₹20.50 crore at the IPL 2024 auction and made him their skipper. The move brought back the much-needed boost as they were the runners-up in the recently concluded season as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “It’s absolutely mandatory to retain Pat Cummins because there are 10 teams in the IPL, and you don’t get a captain. You have to go shopping for a captain and too many Indian names aren’t available, and those who are there aren’t released. So it is going to be an interesting one. Can you convince Pat Cummins for three more years?”
However, Aakash Chopra chose Abhishek Sharma as the second player SRH should retain as well. Abhishek was the SunRisers Hyderabad’s second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. His 484 runs came at a strike rate of 204.21 in 16 innings which is only behind Travis Head’s 567-run tally.
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“I will keep Abhishek Sharma at No. 2 because you won’t get an Indian talent like Abhishek Sharma. There is a lot of value in Indian retentions because it won’t be that easy to pick such players again at the auction. They will be very expensive and when you have seen someone doing so well with you, keep him, why should you release him?” Chopra shared.
However, Aakash Chopra stated that the SunRisers Hyderabad should retain Heinrich Klaasen ahead of Travis Head as their second overseas player, with the latter being reacquired with the ‘Right to Match’ card as well.
“I will want to retain Travis Head but my third player will be Heinrich Klaasen. You can get other players for the position at which Travis Head bats but the position at which Heinrich Klaasen bats – Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Heinrich Klaasen. So I will want to retain Heinrich Klaasen. After that comes Travis Head, but will they be able to retain 3 overseas players? You might have to use the ‘Right to Match’ card for Travis Head but do it, it’s okay. Between Klaasen and Travis Head, I will go with Klaasen. I will leave Travis Head,” he further added.
However, Aakash Chopra added that SRH might have to choose between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan as their second Indian retention as well. With 19 scalps in 14 innings, Natarajan was the SRH’s most successful bowler in IPL 2024. Bhuvneshwar, who picked up 11 dismissals in 16 games, was the franchise’s third-highest wicket-taker behind Natarajan and Cummins (18) as well.
“I might or might not retain Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Actually, I might let him go, although his performance has been very good. He is 34 and will become 37. He has collected a lot of bowling miles. So he might not remain that penetrative for three years. T Natarajan can remain (penetrative), although he is not very young either. He is 33 but has not bowled enough number of overs for the juice to have finished. So there, T Natarajan or Bhuvneshwar Kumar, an attempt to retain one of them, or else I might want to hold on to them through the ‘Right to Match’ card,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
