"Can't stay on the park enough" - Aaron Finch wants SRH to release ₹10 crore buy ahead of IPL 2026 retention deadline

Former Australian cricketer Aaron Finch named which players SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) should release ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline. He suggested that pacer Mohammad Shami should be released.

Shami was acquired by SRH for ₹10 crore last season. However, he failed to deliver and justify the price tag. The veteran could not even play the entire season, featuring in just nine matches due to injury. Shami bagged just six wickets at an average of 56.16 and an economy of 11.23.

Finch reckoned that Shami struggled with his fitness. The pacer has been out of the Indian team as well, following injury concerns.

"Just can't stay on the park enough at the moment and when he does come back, he takes a while to get going again," he said on Star Sports, suggesting his release.

Among other players that the franchise should release, Finch named spinner Rahul Chahar. Chahar played just one match last season and went wicketless. Finch reflected that they could find someone better at his price. The spinner was acquired for ₹3.20 crore.

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Finch suggests SRH to retain Heinrich Klaasen among others

Aaron Finch suggested that SRH must retain Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen was acquired for a massive price of ₹23 crore. He reckoned that Hyderabad would probably have to pay a similar price to get him back in the auction if they released him.

"I would hold him. High price, isn't it? But you know that if you put him back in there, you're going to have to pay as much because teams get specific," he said.

Klaasen has been a consistent performer for SRH, scoring more than 400 runs each in the last three seasons. In IPL 2025, he scored 487 runs at an average of 44.27 and a strike-rate of 172.69.

Further, the former Australian suggested that the 2016 champions must also retain Ishan Kishan, Harshal Patel, and skipper Pat Cummins.

Hyderabad failed to make the playoffs last year and finished sixth on the table. They managed to win six out of their 14 matches. After having played the final in 2024, it was a disappointing performance from them.

Edited by Rishab Vm