Multiple IPL franchises need to do some reinforcement work for the upcoming season. Taking lessons from their previous campaign, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can try to sign some fresh batters to boost up their batting firepower. Jordan Cox can be an effective long-term investment for the above-mentioned franchises. But why do CSK, SRH, or KKR need to sign the emerging English batter? 

Cox has been in superb form in the ongoing The Hundred tournament with the Oval Invincibles. He is one of the few young batters who has been able to maintain their run flow. Additionally, the England international can be used as a wicketkeeper also. 

Franchises and why they should make an investment for Jordan Cox:

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): CSK's last season was unexpectedly poor. The five-time IPL-winning team's batting side was full of cracks, which they need to fill up if the team management wishes to regain their glory days. The late inclusions of Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis came as rays of hope, as both of the batters made strong impressions through their explosive batting performances. If they decide to cash in for Jordan Cox, then it'll be another bet on a long-term prospect. The combination of Mhatre, Brevis, and Cox can bring a lot of possibilities into the lineup. 

Read More: 327 runs in 8 innings, emerging English batter making headlines ahead of IPL 2026 auction

2. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Star-studded batting line, probably the strongest batting lineup on paper during the IPL 2025. But their on-field performance showed them the reality. Inconsistency led the team down in the points table. After scoring a brilliant hundred, Ishan Kishan's performance graph was on the decline. Other capped and uncapped talents also did not perform in a consistent manner. SRH needs someone who can provide him a steady performance, like Cox's current stint in The Hundred. The young English top-order keeper-batter can be a good backup option for Heinrich Klaasen as well. 

3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): KKR was unable to play as a team in IPL 2025, and they failed to protect their title. They have to recruit some fresh, young talents to replace reputed but out-of-form experienced players from their first XI. Apart from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh, KKR's batting combination lacked upcoming talents and X-factor. Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Quinton De Kock are undoubtedly highly experienced candidates, but they are already well past their prime. The upcoming mini auction for IPL 2026 can be a crucial moment for Knight Riders to reshuffle their team. 

Slow bowling options became one of the effective weapons for bowling sides in limited-over matches. There are multiple experienced spinners who graced the format as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL) with their skills. Ahead of the new edition of IPL, when most of the talks have been running around multiple big names, franchise scouts should note down some uncapped spinners' names who have the potential to be the next big thing of Indian cricket. Through his article, we will try to find 3 spinners who can create hype during the mini auction before IPL 2026. 

3 spinners to watch out for:

Shams Mulani

A prolific spin-bowling all-rounder who has already made his mark in various domestic tournaments. Mulani was with the Mumbai Indians for IPL 2025 but got to play a very limited number of matches. In 2 IPL games, Mulani was unimpressive, scoring only one run and unable to take any wickets in 2 innings. But for Mumbai, in 2025, he was a stellar performer with the ball as well as with the bat.

Against Vidharbha, he took a total of 8 wickets; against Jammu and Kashmir, the all-rounder clinched 6 wickets. Unbeaten 100 he scored during the match against Meghalaya, against Haryana Mulani played a 91-run innings. The 28-year-old can be a good option for a long-term investment. 

Read More: OTD: Unmukt Chand led India to third Under-19 World Cup glory

Zeeshan Ansari

Another highly talented cricketer from Uttar Pradesh. He made his IPL debut with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025 and played 10 matches. The leg spinner in 10 matches claimed 6 wickets, including a best of 3/42. During the match against Delhi Capitals, Ansari struck three times and got one wicket each against Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Harsh Dubey

Another jewel discovered by the scouts of Sunrisers Hyderabad. In IPL 2025, Dubey in 3 matches took 5 wickets. He made headlines after a 3-wicket figure against the Kolkata Knight Riders. After the conclusion of IPL, the 23-year-old played a match against England Lions for the India A team, where he got a wicket as well. In 19 first-class matches, Harsh Dubey bagged an impressive number of 98 wickets. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad star Samaran Ravichandran played an explosive innings in the ongoing 2025 Maharaja Trophy T20 to defeat the Mysore Warriors. Gulbarga Mystics batter Ravichandran came to bat in the middle order and played a quick-fire half-century to confirm a thrilling win. The batter was a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the IPL 2025. 

Mysore Warriors started the 4th match of the franchise league as the favorite to win. Batting first, they scored a competitive 184 runs after losing 9 wickets. After losing one of their openers early, Mysore made a comeback in the game against Gulbarga Mystics. Muralidhara Venkatesh made 77 off 50, supported by SU Karthik (36) and Harshil Dharmani (40).Experienced batter and the skipper of Mysore Warriors was disappointed as he was able to score only 12 runs in the innings. Lavish Kaushal was the most successful bowler for Gulbarga in the match by taking 3 wickets in his 4-over spell. 

Gulbarga Mystics displayed top-notch batting while chasing a target of 185. Sunrisers Hyderabad star Samaran Ravichandran produced one of the best displays of individual brilliance in the evening. Facing only 22 balls, he scored an unbeaten 52 and confirmed his team's victory against the strong opposition. During this quick-fire innings, Ravichandran smacked five 4s and four 6s.

The middle-order batter was well supported by other top-order batters of the team. Nikin Jose, an opener of Gulbarga, remained until the end of the run, chasing with an unbeaten 52 off 39, and Prajwal Pavan contributed significantly through his 33-ball, 45-run innings.Gulbarga Mystics won the match by 8 wickets. 

Read More: Aakash Chopra predicts who can be most expensive player for IPL 2026

He scored tons of runs for Karnataka 

Samaran emerged as the most entertaining batsman of the game. The player from Karnataka has some amazing domestic cricket stats with his name. The 22-year-old batter is a proven talent from Karnataka, who scored multiple triple-digit runs for his state.

In early 2025, he scored an unbeaten 133 against Haryana, and against Punjab, he got an innings of 203 and another 101-run innings against Vidharbha.From the beginning of 2025, Samaran Ravichandran has been in stunning form, which he continues in the 2025 Maharaja Trophy T20. 

Speculations are rolling around social media platforms regarding KL Rahul's future in IPL. Will he stay with Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026? That's become a corner rupees question, as the experienced keeper-batter has evolved as one of the most consistent and dependable performers for club and country. Teams with problems in keeping, batting, or even in leadership duties can consider the versatile cricketer as a new addition.

There are multiple team names surfacing on the internet linking with KL Rahul. So far, there is no clarification about his future for the upcoming Indian Premier League. But which 3 franchises can target him for the next season, and why? Let's derive. 

3 teams that can consider KL Rahul for IPL 2026:

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Kolkata Knight Riders suffered all kinds of problems in the previous season. From top-order batting to captaincy, the champion of IPL 2024 experienced a horrendous campaign this year. For the upcoming Indian Premier League, they have no option but to do some repair work to boost up squad depth. Quinton De Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were in their squad as their top-order batters and keepers as well. De Kock, way past his career's best, showed some glimpses of prime but was not able to maintain a sustainable form throughout the series. KKR management also tried with Gurbaz in their playing combination, but that too did not work. In place of Quinton or Gurbaz, KL Rahul can be a like-for-like substitution. As the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane's decisions and on-field approach were under the scanner. Rahul can add value with their leadership qualities as well.

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

CSK Super Kings, the 5-time IPL title-winning team, has been facing tough challenges with batting, captaincy, and keeping. MS Dhoni was their man in need from the beginning of the IPL; now he is over 40 years old, well past his prime. Dhoni is not only the former captain of CSK but also the icon. Replacing a player like Dhoni is not going to be easy. The team management needs someone who can perform on the field and at least maintain their brand value. As of now, KL Rahul is the only man who can tick all the boxes precisely. Dhoni recently hinted that Ruturaj Gaikwad is all set to be back as their regular skipper for IPL 2026. And KL Rahul avoided the leadership role in Delhi Capitals to enhance batting skills. If Ruturaj continues as CSK captain, then Rahul can maintain his focus on his performance. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Sunrisers Hyderabad can sound inappropriate in the list, but not illogical, as the team suffered with batting consistency throughout the IPL 2025. On pen and paper, SRH was the most star-studded and powerful batting lineup. But their on-field performance let them down. The top order of SRH mostly maintained off color in the entire season. Travis Head is undoubtedly a big name in international cricket, but not a successful one in the Indian Premier League. If SRH thinks about a replacement of Head, then Rahul is definitely a suitable option. His partnership with Abhishek Sharma up front can prove lethal against top-tier bowlers. 

Almost 8 years back, when very few people knew about Mohammed Siraj, he came under the spotlight as soon as he bowled out Rishabh Pant during an IPL 2017 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils).

Then the cricket experts Ravi Shastri and Harsha Bhogle praised the delivery of Siraj, which knocked down the stumps. Later, Siraj shared the moment of appreciation of Shastri and Bhogle on social media to highlight the moment; it was like a certificate of excellence from the veterans.

Over the years, the Hyderabad-born has evolved a lot, cementing his place as a regular bowler in the Whites for Team India. The pacer started to make headlines because of his heroics against England. Siraj's outstanding bowling helped India to claim a series-deciding 6-run win at Kennington Oval in London. In this match, he produced the figures of 4/86 and 5/104 to depict his dominance under tough situations.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Mohammed Siraj (@mohammedsirajofficial)

Read More: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 5th Test: Shubman Gill reveals hilarious truth behind Mohammed Siraj's 'Nahi Bola Tu' comment

A tireless cricketer in all circumstances 

Because of his relentless bowling performances, Siraj not only collected the player of the match award but also emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 23 scalps, having bowled a total of 185.3 overs across nine innings at an average of 32.43 and a strike rate of 48.39. After playing all 5 matches of the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, the speed star bagged 123 wickets at an average of 31.05 and a strike rate of 52.1 in 41 tests. 

And in the previous Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) campaign, the pacer picked up 16 wickets in 15 outings for Gujarat Titans. Overall in his entire IPL career, Siraj played in 108 matches and got 109 wickets, with best figures of 4/17.

The IPL 2026 trade window has kicked off with a bang, sparking plenty of excitement and rumors among fans. With teams looking to regroup after a dramatic 2025 season, trade talks and player transfers are already making waves across social media platforms.

One of the most widely discussed speculations involves Kolkata Knight Riders' dynamic batter, Venkatesh Iyer. Reports have emerged suggesting that KKR is considering a major trade involving Iyer, possibly swapping him with Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive batter Ishan Kishan. The rumor has sparked a range of reactions among fans, with both players having significant value to their respective teams.

Though nothing official has been confirmed yet, the possibility of such a high-profile trade has certainly added to the buzz of the ongoing trade window. As franchises prepare for the next season, fans are closely watching every move, hoping for strong squads and exciting cricket ahead in IPL 2026.

See Also: ENG vs IND: Will Jasprit Bumrah Play the 4th Test? Team India’s Assistant Coach Drops a Big Hint

IPL 2026 Trade News: KKR Likely to Part Ways with Star Batter:

Kolkata Knight Riders made headlines during the IPL 2025 mega auction by signing Venkatesh Iyer for a massive ₹23.75 crore. The high price tag made him one of the most expensive players of the season. However, his performance didn’t live up to expectations, turning the big investment into a major concern for the franchise.

Iyer’s poor form was one of the reasons behind KKR’s below-par title defense. Scoring only 142 runs in the entire season, his contribution was far from what was expected for a player who cost nearly one-fifth of the team’s total budget. As a result, reports suggest that KKR is now open to letting him go and cutting their losses.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have shown interest in Iyer and are reportedly exploring a trade, possibly involving Ishan Kishan. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are also keeping an eye on the situation, with coach Andy Flower previously saying Iyer’s batting style could have flourished in their lineup. This situation reflects how IPL values performance over sentiment.

Kavya Kalanithi Maran, famously known as Kavya Maran, in a recent interview said about multiple aspects of cricket and her views on the game. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) is known for their power-packed batting order and a die heart fan base.

By that time, Kavya had become one of the popular franchise owners of the Indian Premier League. How did she start the journey in the cash-rich league? Kavya answered swiftly. Sunrisers Hyderabad is owned by the Kalanithi Maran-led Sun Group. Kavya has been involved with the franchise since 2013. It was Kalanithi Maran himself who asked Kavya to join the franchise. She was only 21 years old and just out of college when Kalanithi Maran bought the team.

“He came to me and said, ‘You understand this audience better; you love cricket,’” she said. "My mother and my grandfather [were into cricket]… So cricket just playing on television 24/7 was a part and parcel of life growing up. So, my involvement started quite organically."

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Kavya has to look multiple franchises 

Not only Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kavya has to look after multiple franchises, and all are cricket teams. So, her knowledge of cricket is beyond question. Northern Superchargers in The Hundred (UK-based league) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 League (South Africa-based league) are also owned by Kavya Maran. She understands how a good scouting prospect can help an entire cricket community. 

"For instance, The Hundred is a very short format. In SA20, their cultural upbringing is very different... So now, if I have found a talent when I go to the U.K., I'll bring him to the IPL, or I'll take him to SA20. Overall, it benefits international cricket... So, I think what is happening is amazing, and the future of cricket is only booming. Franchise cricket is playing a big role in it", she said. 

Only a couple of matches left before the conclusion of this year's Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Cricket fans across the globe were thoroughly entertained through the tournament, packed with multiple high-octane clashes. Along with high-scoring chases of neck-to-neck battles, IPL 2025 has sparked controversies multiple times because of umpires' decisions. There have been at least 5 occasions when an umpire's call causes cricketers or fans to fume. Let's discuss all five of them below;

Mitchell Starc No Ball

A no-ball call from the umpire during a super over between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad raised multiple questions. The umpire gave a no-ball call due to Mitchell Starc's back foot landing beyond the return crease. It was the fourth delivery of the super over. Cricket fans fumed because they alleged that in an over of Mumbai Indians' bowler Vignesh Puthur, the same thing happened, but then the umpire did not make any call. 

Ishan Kishan's wicket in a bizarre manner:

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Ishan Kishan came to the center of controversies when he decided to walk off even before the umpire made his call. The match was between Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, and Ishan's incident happened on a Deepak Chahar over. The SRH batter tried to push the ball down the leg side but could not make contact. Then, all of a sudden, Kishan started to walk back to the dugout, and after some hesitation, the umpire raised his finger. Later, it found that there was no connection between the ball and bat. 

Read More: 'Comeback ho toh aisa ho' - Fans react as Karun Nair smashes double century against England Lions

No timer on the screen

When Chennai Super Kings batter Dewald Brevis asked the umpire to apply DRS after consulting with Ravindra Jadeja, his batting partner at the non-striking end, the umpire clearly denied the CSK batter's request to apply DRS. According to the umpire, the 15-second time frame to make a decision for DRS had expired. But, surprisingly, there was no timer on the giant screen that indicated the countdown. Experienced batters like Ravindra Jadeja were in disbelief by the decision from the umpire. 

Shubman Gill's controversial run-out:

Gujarat Titans skipper lost his cool when the umpire ruled him dismissed for a run-out. It was clear that Gill was well outside of the safe line, but the question was how the bails had dislodged—a direct impact by the ball or by the gloves of SRH keeper Heinrich Klaasen? Later, it was discovered that it was Klaasen's gloves that removed the bails from timber. 

Rohit Sharma's LBW

The match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) was at its initial stage; the 2nd over of the first innings was underway. On the fourth delivery of that over, Farooqi's delivery went straight to hit the Rohit Sharma's pad, and the on-field umpire's decision was out. After a chat with opening partner Rickelton, Rohit decided to go for a review. The field umpire's decision was overturned after DRS, and that sparked controversy among some of the cricket fans.

Coaches serve as the backbone of any team or franchise. In this ongoing IPL season, many have fared exceptionally well, whilst some, including the likes of Stephen Fleming from CSK, have come under the scanner for their team's disappointing performance. In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, former Australian legend Tom Moody was asked to name the best coach of the IPL 2025 season.

Moody was given two options at a time to select from. The names of numerous legendary figures came up during the discussion featuring the likes of Fleming, Flower, Jayawardene, Vettori, and Langer to name a few. He named his favorite picks based on their ongoing performance in this current season and not their historical performance. 

Moody names his favorite pick

Best coach of IPL 2025? 👀 pic.twitter.com/gt0W1oiLnm

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 27, 2025

Moody's answers certainly took a few users by surprise. First up, he was asked to make a selection between Fleming and Jayawardene. The former SRH legend picked Jayawardene's side on this one. Next up, he was asked to pick either NZ great Vettori or Jayawardene. Much to everyone's surprise, his preference remained the same as he chose Jayawardene over his Trans-Tasman rival. 

However, as the conversation progressed, he stumbled upon a minor roadblock when he was asked to make a tough choice between Zimbabwe legend Andy Flower and Jayawardene. He took a momentary pause before preferring Flower over the Lankan legend. Flower, then, seemed to be his consistent preference over Badani and Dravid. But that changed once again when Ashish Nehra from GT came into the picture. Moody recognized Nehra's instrumental contribution to the franchise not only in this season but also the prior seasons. 

And as fate would have it, Nehra emerged as Moody's favorite pick as he choose him over his Aussie counterparts like Langer and Ponting. This remarkable revelation left fans in awe since most of them, many of whom are from India, expected Moody to prefer his former teammates over Ashish Nehra. 

 See also: 'Dhoni finishes off in style'- Ravi Shastri turns 62; remember his ageless lines

As the IPL 2025 resumes after a disturbing mid-season halt with greater tensions between India and Pakistan, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins paused to thank the Indian Armed Forces. The Australian right-arm pace spearhead posted a touching message on Instagram thanking the staff for their service and sacrifice in making the return of the tournament to a safe environment to compete.

The IPL 2025 was promptly suspended shortly after Match 46 due to the rising tensions across the border that caused national security problems. Airspaces were closed, public gatherings were closed, and the league was suspended in limbo. Due to the congested schedule or for safety reasons, some of the other international players chose not to come back for the second installment. Pat Cummins has decided to come back to SRH despite the fact that it could affect his performance in the upcoming marquee Test series in Australia. His dedication has been praised as he has shown loyalty and leadership to the franchise.

Pat Cummins' Instagram story for Indian Armed forces. ❤️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/fP3325WhYH

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) May 17, 2025

Also read: IPL 2025: RCB vs KKR – Player Battles to Watch Out For

SRH Qualification Scenario:

 Sunrisers Hyderabad's route to the IPL 2025 playoffs is very slim but mathematically possible. Having 7 points from 11 games, they need to win all 3 of their remaining matches in order to achieve 13 points — a figure that has been insufficient to qualify only a handful of times. But this season, where several teams are bunched in the middle table, a 13-point tally could result in a tie among multiple teams, keeping SRH alive on technical merit.

SRH's largest obstacle is their net run rate of -1.192. Even if they win all three games remaining, they'll have to have at least one or two big-win victories in order to considerably improve their NRR. Furthermore, their chances of qualification are highly reliant on other outcomes favoring them — particularly if teams presently around the 10-12 point mark begin losing on a consistent basis. Although the door is theoretically ajar, SRH doesn't just have to be flawless; they also have to have a great deal of luck to reach the top four.