The Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise is likely to release wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen going into the 2026 season auction, a report by The Times of India suggests. As per the report, there are “strong murmurs” that the South African star will be let go in order to balance the team better. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Klaasen was retained for ₹23 crore, making him SRH’s most expensive retention. That was considered a shocking move since he earned more than Pat Cummins (₹18 crore) and Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore). Despite a slow start, Klaasen finished strongly last season, with 487 runs at a strike rate of 172.69, including a half-century and a century, the best in his IPL career so far. Why SRH Might Release Klaasen There are reports suggesting that SRH believe releasing Klaasen could be a prudent financial move. This would put an extra ₹23 crore in their auction purse and give them flexibility in making signings to strengthen their squad. Possible Move Reason/Impact Release Klaasen (₹23 crore) Boosts auction purse Buy him back for ₹15 crore Retain key player at lower cost Use ₹8 crore difference Strengthen bowling and middle-order A team source said to TOI: "Going into the auction with ₹23 crore more allows SRH to fill the crucial gaps — build a stronger bowling attack and fix their middle-order. They could even buy Klaasen back for around ₹15 crore." Also Read | KKR and DC’s KL Rahul Trade for IPL 2026 Falls Apart - Here’s Why SRH's Strategy for IPL 2026 After the disappointing 2025 campaign, which did not see SRH repeat their success of 2024 as runners-up, management now reviews their auction strategy. Their top order was inconsistent throughout, with Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Reddy finding it hard to come into form. The team is also assessing the changes in their bowling unit. Mohammed Shami, despite having a poor season, still holds a ₹10 crore contract. Meanwhile, Rahul Chahar could be released as SRH eyes a new spinner. The power-hitting Klaasen, known to turn matches single-handedly, remains one of the top T20 batters in the world. Even if SRH release him, it's likely that they might buy him back at a lesser price, thus it will be a win-win situation for both player and team.