Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) went all out to sign batting all-rounder Liam Livingstone at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, despite Anil Kumble’s opinion that they should have chosen an international spinner.
With a budget of INR 25.5 crore, the previous champions went into the auction. Livingstone, who had a disappointing season at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) the previous season, cost them more than half of it.
It will be difficult for Livingstone to get a look in, according to Kumble, since international players like Travis Head, Pat Cummins, and Heinrich Klaasen are expected to be frequently included in the starting lineup. But following his poor IPL 2025 performances, the former captain of India encouraged the England player to make a strong comeback.
“When you already have a bowling captain in Pat Cummins, who bats further down the order, along with Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen—three overseas positions that are nearly fixed—spending ₹13 crore becomes an interesting decision. Speaking on JioStar’s IPL auction review, Kumble remarked, “SRH also needed a spin option, and instead they went for another batter.”
Regardless of how he performed with RCB last season, I believe Liam Livingstone makes sense as a purchase in a T20 lineup. Because of the way he bats, he is the type of player that can alter a game in a matter of overs. Additionally, he is incredibly versatile; he can play in the middle order, bat at No. 3, or open,” he continued.
According to Kumble, SRH’s desire to eliminate the opposition from the game was the driving force behind the signing of Livingstone.
“It is obvious that SRH is supporting their batting strategy to deny the opposition the game. This appears to be very much in keeping with their strategy, as they have done that before’, Kumble said.
In addition to Livingstone, Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards was another foreign player that SRH acquired at the auction. The 25-year-old paid INR 3 crore to join SRH.
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