Sunrisers Hyderabad: Complete Guide & Titles
Sunrisers Hyderabad are one of the most fascinating franchises in the Indian Premier League: a team built on bowling that won a title, a team that reinvented itself as the most destructive batting side in the league, and the owners of the highest team total in IPL history. This complete guide covers everything about SRH: their history, title, captain, coach, home ground, records, the 2024 batting revolution, the 2026 playoff run, and what to expect in IPL 2027.
Sunrisers Hyderabad at a Glance
- Founded: 2012, replacing Deccan Chargers; first IPL season 2013
- Home ground: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad (capacity around 55,000)
- Captain: Pat Cummins (Ishan Kishan stood in early in 2026 when Cummins was unavailable)
- Head coach: Daniel Vettori
- Owner: Sun TV Network Limited (Sun Group, chairman Kalanithi Maran; Kavya Maran is the public face of the franchise)
- Colours: Orange and Black
- IPL titles: 1 (2016)
- Final appearances: 3 (2016, 2018, 2024)
- Playoff qualifications: 8
- Identity: The “Orange Army”
Sunrisers Hyderabad were bought for ₹85.05 crore per year for five years in 2012, after the IPL terminated the contract of Hyderabad’s previous franchise, Deccan Chargers, who had won the title in 2009.
The History of Sunrisers Hyderabad
2013: Instant Playoffs in the First Season
Sunrisers Hyderabad made their IPL debut in 2013 and immediately reached the playoffs, finishing fourth. It was a statement start for a brand-new franchise, built on a strong bowling attack and disciplined cricket.
2016: The First Title, Won Through Bowling
The franchise’s peak came in 2016 under captain David Warner and coach Tom Moody. Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight runs in the final at Bengaluru on 29 May 2016. Batting first, SRH posted 208 for 7, with Warner scoring 69 off 38 balls and Ben Cutting smashing an unbeaten 39 off just 15 balls. RCB, powered by Chris Gayle’s 76 off 38 and Virat Kohli’s 54, finished on 200 for 7. Cutting was Player of the Match for his 39 not out and 2 for 35, and SRH became the first team to win the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 before winning the final.
Warner finished the season with 848 runs, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the Purple Cap with 23 wickets. Mustafizur Rahman was named Emerging Player of the Season.
2017 to 2020: Playoff Regulars, Another Final
Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the playoffs in every season from 2016 to 2020. In 2018, with Kane Williamson captaining after Warner stepped down, SRH reached the final again but lost to Chennai Super Kings. Williamson won the Orange Cap that season with 735 runs, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar won a second consecutive Purple Cap in 2017 with 26 wickets. Warner won further Orange Caps in 2017 (641 runs) and 2019 (692 runs), becoming the only player to win the award three times.
2021 to 2023: The Lean Years
After the playoff streak ended, Sunrisers Hyderabad hit their lowest point. They finished last in 2021 after Warner was removed as captain mid-season, finished eighth in 2022 and last again in 2023. The franchise needed a complete rebuild of its identity.
2024: The Batting Revolution and Another Final
The rebuild arrived in 2024 under new captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori. Sunrisers Hyderabad became the most destructive batting side the IPL had ever seen. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma formed the most feared opening partnership in the league, and SRH posted 287 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru — the highest team total in IPL history, with Head scoring 102 off 41 balls in a match that produced a record aggregate of 549 runs. SRH reached the final again but lost to Kolkata Knight Riders, who bowled them out for 113. For the auction picture, read our IPL 2027 auction guide.
2025: Sixth Place, Signs of Life
Sunrisers Hyderabad finished sixth in 2025 with 13 points from six wins, seven losses and one no-result, and missed the playoffs. The batting firepower remained, but consistency did not.
IPL 2026: Third Place and an Eliminator Exit
IPL 2026 was a season of extremes for Sunrisers Hyderabad. They lost three of their first four matches, with Ishan Kishan captaining early in the season while Cummins was unavailable, then won five matches in a row in the middle of the season and finished the league stage in third place in the IPL points table with 18 points from nine wins and five losses, and a net run rate of +0.524. Their final league match was a 55-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with SRH scoring 255 for 4 (Ishan Kishan 79 off 46, Abhishek Sharma 56 off 22, Heinrich Klaasen 51 off 24) and RCB finishing on 200 for 4.
In the Eliminator at Mullanpur, Sunrisers Hyderabad lost to Rajasthan Royals by 47 runs and were knocked out, ending their bid for a second title.
Home Ground: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, with a capacity of around 55,000, is one of the great modern grounds in India and the fortress of the Orange Army. Its true pitches and fast outfield suit SRH’s batting, and its crowds turn the ground orange for every home game. Visiting teams know that a total below 200 is rarely safe in Hyderabad.
Identity: The Orange Army
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s identity is orange and black, built around the “Orange Army” — one of the most loyal fan bases in the IPL. The franchise’s rise from the ashes of Deccan Chargers, its bowling-first title in 2016 and its batting revolution in 2024 give it a story of reinvention that few teams can match. Kavya Maran, the Sun Group executive who fronts the franchise at auctions and in the stands, has become one of the most recognisable faces in the league.
Captain, Coach and Key Players
Pat Cummins (captain): Cummins took over as captain in 2024 and transformed Sunrisers Hyderabad from a struggling side into finalists and then 2026 playoff qualifiers. His calm leadership and new-ball bowling set the tone for the aggressive side around him.
Daniel Vettori (head coach): Vettori, the former New Zealand captain and one of the finest spinners of his era, has been head coach through the 2024 and 2026 campaigns, with Muttiah Muralitharan as spin-bowling coach.
David Warner (the franchise’s greatest batter): Warner captained SRH to the 2016 title, scored 848 runs that season, and won three Orange Caps (2015, 2017, 2019) — more than any other player in IPL history.
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy: Head and Abhishek form the most destructive opening pair in the league, Klaasen is the middle-order finisher who scored 624 runs in 2026, Kishan captained the side early in 2026 and scored 79 off 46 in the final league match, and Nitish Kumar Reddy is the young all-rounder at the heart of the rebuild.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Records and Stats
- IPL titles: 1 — 2016 (beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 8 runs, Bengaluru)
- Runner-up finishes: 2 — 2018 (lost to Chennai Super Kings), 2024 (lost to Kolkata Knight Riders)
- Finals played: 3
- Playoff qualifications: 8 — 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2026
- Highest team total: 287 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024 — the highest total in IPL history, covered in our highest score in IPL guide
- Highest match aggregate: 549 runs in the same 2024 match (SRH 287 for 3, RCB 262 for 7)
- Orange Caps: David Warner 3 times (2015, 2017, 2019), Kane Williamson once (2018, 735 runs)
- Purple Caps: Bhuvneshwar Kumar twice in a row (2016, 23 wickets; 2017, 26 wickets)
- Fair Play Awards: 2016 and 2019
- First team to win the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 before winning the final: 2016
Rivalries: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings
The defining rivalry is with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the opponents in the 2016 final win and the victims of the record 287 for 3 in 2024. For the other side of that rivalry, read our Royal Challengers Bengaluru complete guide, our Chennai Super Kings complete guide, our Mumbai Indians complete guide and our Kolkata Knight Riders complete guide.
Kolkata Knight Riders are the opponents who beat SRH in the 2024 final, and Chennai Super Kings are the opponents who beat them in the 2018 final. Both fixtures now carry extra weight for the Orange Army.
IPL 2027 Outlook: What Sunrisers Hyderabad Need
The IPL 2027 season runs from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with 74 matches, and the IPL 2027 schedule page will carry every fixture once the BCCI publishes it. Before that, the reported IPL 2027 auction on 16 December 2026 in Goa, with retention lists due on 15 November 2026, is the franchise’s most important date in years.
Three questions will decide Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 2027:
- Can the batting firepower finally win a second title? SRH have the most destructive top order in the league. The 2026 Eliminator exit showed that firepower alone is not enough in knockout matches.
- Does the bowling attack match the batting? The 2016 title was built on bowling. The 2024 and 2026 sides scored huge totals but could not always defend them. Balance is the missing piece.
- What happens with the captaincy and the core? Cummins’ leadership has driven the revival, and keeping Head, Abhishek, Klaasen and Kishan together is the retention priority.
If the balance is found, a second title is a realistic target. If it is not, SRH risk becoming the league’s great entertainers who never quite finish the job.
Sunrisers Hyderabad FAQs
How many IPL titles have Sunrisers Hyderabad won?
Sunrisers Hyderabad have won one IPL title, in 2016, beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight runs in the final.
Who is the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad?
Pat Cummins is the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ishan Kishan captained the side early in the 2026 season while Cummins was unavailable.
Who is the coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad?
Daniel Vettori is the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
What is the home ground of Sunrisers Hyderabad?
Sunrisers Hyderabad play their home matches at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
Why are Sunrisers Hyderabad’s colours orange and black?
Orange and black are the franchise’s identity colours, tied to the “Orange Army” fan base.
Where did Sunrisers Hyderabad finish in IPL 2026?
Sunrisers Hyderabad finished third in IPL 2026 with 18 points, then lost the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals by 47 runs.
When does IPL 2027 start?
The IPL 2027 season window runs from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with 74 matches. The full fixture list is expected around February 2027.
Conclusion
Sunrisers Hyderabad are not just a one-title team; they are the IPL’s great reinventors. A bowling-first title in 2016, three Orange Caps for David Warner, two Purple Caps for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the highest total in league history in 2024 and a third-place finish in 2026 tell the story of a franchise that keeps finding new ways to compete. The 2027 season offers the chance to turn the most exciting batting side in the league into champions again — ten years after the first title.
For the full picture through the season, follow the IPL live score guide, the IPL points table and the IPL 2027 schedule page — and check the IPL teams page for every squad.
