He was retained by SRH for INR 23 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
As the IPL 2026 retention deadline approaches super fast, there are reports about Heinrich Klaasen being in the SRH Released Players 2026 list. If Sunrisers Hyderabad make that call, the South African wicketkeeper is likely to be among the most sought-after players in the IPL 2026 auction.
Klaasen was retained by SRH for a whopping price of INR 23 crore before the IPL 2025 mega auction. He wasn’t at his best in the previous edition. He piled on 487 runs at an average of 44 while striking at 172, but the numbers were spiked by a couple of big knocks. Since June, he averages less than 20 in the shorter format, and that could be a concern for SRH.
However, a player of his quality can not be counted out easily. He is still among the very best middle-order batters, and teams will not hesitate to break the bank for him.
Check out Heinrich Klaasen record in the league before the IPL 2026 auction.
| Year | Team | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | SRH | 14 | 487 | 44.27 | 172.69 |
| IPL 2024 | SRH | 16 | 479 | 39.91 | 171.07 |
| IPL 2023 | SRH | 12 | 448 | 49.77 | 177.07 |
| IPL 2019 | RCB | 3 | 9 | 4.50 | 90.00 |
| IPL 2018 | RR | 4 | 57 | 19.00 | 121.27 |
Let’s take a look at three teams that could target Klaasen if he is in the IPL 2026 auction pool.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could be one of the teams that will go all out for Klaasen in the auction. Five-time champions had a disastrous season earlier this year, and one of the major reasons was the lack of quality batters. Dewald Brevis came in as a replacement halfway through the tournament, but they would like another power hitter.
With Ashwin retiring, CSK have INR 9.75 crore of budget freed up. They can have more by releasing Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Devon Conway (INR 6.25 crore), Rachin Ravindra (INR 4 crore), and Rahul Tripathi (INR 3.40 crore). CSK can go into the IPL 2026 auction with around INR 35 crore, which should be enough to get Heinrich Klaasen and plug other holes.
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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had the top order firing on all cylinders in the previous season, but the middle order was a major concern. Their designated finisher, David Miller, failed to deliver the goods. LSG are likely to let him go and look for a replacement.
They are also expected to release Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi, both of whom were retained for INR 11 crore each. One of Avesh Khan and Akash Deep could also be offloaded. Combined, LSG can free up INR 37 crore for the IPL 2026 auction to acquire Heinrich Klaasen.
Rajasthan Royals is another franchise that needs a better lower-middle-order batter. They had retained Shimron Hetmyer ahead of the mega auction for INR 11 crore, but he could not do the job as they lost numerous matches in the end overs. RR would love someone like Klaasen on the side.
Budget will not be an issue as they are expected to release Sanju Samson (INR 18 crore). Hetmyer, Tushar Deshpande (INR 6.50 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (INR 5.25), and Maheesh Theekshana (INR 4.40 crore) will give them more money to work with. The Royals could go into the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of around INR 44 crore, and getting Heinrich Klaasen will not be an issue.
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