SRH 2016 (Photo Source – Twitter/X)
Following the 2009 IPL champions Deccan Chargers’ termination in 2012, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) broke into the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013. In their debut season, they qualified for the playoffs but failed to handle pressure in the Eliminator game against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Following their debut performance, they struggled to play quality cricket in the next two seasons.
In 2016, David Warner showcased his leadership mettle and guided the team to their maiden title triumph. The Aussie led the side from the front throughout the competition and inspired his teammates as well to deliver their best. After eight years of the magnificent trophy win, the Orange Army will look to taste success under Pat Cummins in the upcoming season.
Let’s take a look at the SRH 2016 IPL champions and where they are now:
15. Naman Ojha
Naman Ojha served the side as a wicketkeeper-batter but couldn’t live upto the expectations. In 17 games, he scored only 136 runs in 13 innings of 17 matches at a miserable strike rate of 98.55. Despite his horrendous performance, SRH retained him for the 2017 season. In 2018, he played his last IPL season in the Delhi Capitals’ colours.
14. Karn Sharma
The wrist-spinner Karn Sharma gave his services to SRH from 2013-16. In the 2016 season, Sharma played five games but failed to pick up wickets for his side. His miserable performance disenchanted the SRH team management and he didn’t get a chance to play for Sunrisers again. Now, the spinner represents Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the league. In domestic cricket, he has been serving Andhra Pradesh since 2018.
13. Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda got 17 games from the SRH team management but failed to justify his role. The all-rounder scored 144 runs at a strike rate of 119.00 and took only three wickets at an economy of 7.46. Despite his sub-par performance, Hyderabad retained him for the 2017 season. He was associated with SRH until 2019.
Since 2022, Hooda has been serving Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the league. In February 2022, he also made his international debut for Team India, and since then, he has played 31 white-ball matches for his national side.
12. Trent Boult
New Zealand pacer Trent Boult was a part of SRH’s 2016 camp. He was benched in the entire league round but against the Suresh Raina-led Gujarat Lions (GL) in the playoffs, he took one wicket at an economy of 9.75. Following the successful season, SRH parted ways with the Kiwi speedster.
The New Zealander currently spearheads Rajasthan Royals’ pace attack in the league. The veteran serves New Zealand in marquee events but hasn’t played regular matches for the side since August 2022, after opting out of the central contract.
11. Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson was in the SRH camp from 2015 to 2022 and during this period, he also got a chance to lead the team. In the Orange Army’s maiden title win in 2016, the Kiwi veteran contributed 124 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 101.63. In 2022, Williamson struggled to be among the runs as a batter and also failed to take SRH to the playoffs with his captaincy.
Noting his dismal performance, the SRH team management broke ties with him before the 2023 auction. Currently, he is a crucial member of Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL while in international cricket, he leads his national side New Zealand in the white-ball formats of the sport.
10. Eoin Morgan
England’s Eoin Morgan played seven games for SRH and scored only 123 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 117.14. Following his sub-par performance in the season, SRH released him before the 2017 auction. Morgan played his last IPL season in 2021, for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Donning KKR’s jersey, he took the team to the final but looked ineffective as a batter. His dismal form dropped him from KKR’s retention list for the 2022 IPL.
In the 2022 IPL auction, he submitted his name but didn’t get any buyers. The veteran retired from international cricket in June 2022. After eight months of his international retirement, the former England skipper hung his boots from all forms of the sport in February 2023. Nowadays, Morgan does commentary for the illustrious British sports channel Sky Sports.
9. Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra played for SRH in the 2016 season but couldn’t be a part of the Orange Army’s playing XI for more than eight games as he got ruled out of the competition due to a hamstring injury. The pacer took nine wickets in eight matches at an economy of 7.65 in the season.
In November 2017, Nehra retired from all forms of the sport. Currently, the former India player coaches Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league. In 2022, GT won their maiden trophy under his guidance. Besides coaching, he also serves the famous cricketing platform CricBuzz, as an expert.
8. Moises Henriques
Australia all-rounder Moises Henriques played 17 games in the 2016 IPL and chipped in with 182 runs and 12 wickets in SRH’s title triumph. In the playoff game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), his brilliant all-round display helped the Orange Army to get the better of the two-time IPL champions.
Following the 2017 season, Hyderabad released Henriques and he didn’t feature in the 2018 IPL after getting unsold in the 11th auction. He showed up for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 2021 but couldn’t be impressive with both bat and ball. In the 2022 mega auction, he registered his name but went unsold. The Aussie all-rounder serves New South Wales in the domestic circle and Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL).
7. Barinder Sran
Barinder Sran looked decent with the ball for SRH, scalping 14 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 8.34. Following the 2016 season, the pacer’s performance declined in the league and his 2019 attendance for Mumbai Indians (MI) became his last IPL appearance. Discussing Sran’s domestic career, he played his last game for Punjab in February 2021.
6. Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh can be called an unsung hero of SRH’s 2016 IPL final victory against RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. In the crucial contest, the southpaw played a rapid 38-run knock off just 23 deliveries that helped Sunrisers to deliver a target of 209 runs to Virat Kohli and his men.
His fine innings helped him win the SRH team management’s confidence and he got a chance to represent the side in 2017 again. In June 2019, the 2011 World Cup winner called time on his cricketing career. Following his retirement, he runs his non-profit organisation for cancer patients, YouWeCan.
5. Mustafizur Rahman
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman did a magnificent job for SRH in 2016. Appearing in 16 games, he took 17 wickets at a frugal economy of 6.90. The speedster supported Bhuvneshwar Kumar consistently to bolster SRH’s fast-bowling unit.
In the upcoming season, the Bangla speedster will be seen in Chennai Super Kings’ jersey. Currently, Rahman spearheads Bangaldesh’s pace attack in white-ball cricket.
4. Ben Cutting
Australia all-rounder Ben Cutting looked phenomenal for SRH in the final against RCB in Bengaluru. As a batter, he played an unbeaten knock of 39 off just 15 to help Hyderabad post a total of 208 runs on the board. As a bowler, he delivered the first breakthrough to the side in the form of Chris Gayle, who was looking extraordinary that day. In SRH’s eight-run win in the final, Cutting got the Player of the Match for his sensational all-round display.
Cutting played for SRH in the 2017 season again but this time, he failed to be impactful which led to his snub from the team’s retention list for the 2018 IPL. In the next season, he played for Mumbai Indians (MI) but couldn’t do wonders with both bat and ball. His last appearance in IPL was in 2019 for MI. The Aussie has not had a chance to play in IPL since 2019 but appears in some other T20 leagues.
3. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan did his job as an opener efficiently for the Orange Army. In 17 matches, he racked up 501 runs at a decent average of 38.53. The veteran India opener served SRH until 2018.
Currently, he is the skipper of Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the cash-rich T20 tournament. Dhawan has not played international cricket for India since December 2022.
2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar played an instrumental role in SRH’s success. He grabbed 23 wickets in 17 matches at an economy of 7.42 and became the recipient of the Purple Cap for ending up as the leading wicket-taker in the competition. In the final against Challengers, he didn’t get any wickets but bowled an economical spell that emboldened the confidence of other SRH stalwarts.
Bhuvneshwar will be seen in action for SRH again in the 2024 IPL. In these eight years, a lot has changed in the speedster’s cricketing career. The paceman hasn’t played any game for India since November 2022 as he was dropped from the team after his dismal bowling display in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
1. David Warner
David Warner looked exceptional as a skipper for Hyderabad. Holding the reins of the side, he produced extraordinary knocks consistently from his bat. In the final, he launched an onslaught against RCB, with his swift innings of 69 off just 38. The Aussie veteran concluded the competition as the second-leading run-scorer, with 848 runs in 17 matches at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 151.42.
Warner’s association with SRH continued until 2021. Following the disastrous 2021 campaign, the SRH team management severed ties with their IPL-winning skipper. Since 2022, he has been rendering his services to Delhi Capitals (DC). In 2023, the Aussie retired from Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024, he will hang up his boots in the shortest form of the sport as well.