Ishan Kishan to Lead SRH as Cummins Misses IPL Start

Ishan Kishan SRH captain news sees the wicketkeeper-batter set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, with Pat Cummins unavailable due to injury.

Cummins is continuing his recovery from a persistent back problem and will miss the start of the IPL 2026 campaign. Abhishek Sharma has been appointed as Kishan’s deputy during this interim period.

Team sources have confirmed that the arrangement is temporary, with Cummins expected to resume captaincy once he regains full fitness.

Cummins set to join squad later

While the exact number of matches Cummins will miss has not been confirmed, he is expected to join the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad in India on March 23.

He will undergo a rehabilitation programme with the franchise’s medical team, with reports suggesting he could miss the first three matches of the season.

The 32-year-old has not played competitive cricket since December, when he featured in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

His long-standing back issue had ruled him out before and after that match, and also forced him to miss the recently concluded T20 World Cup.

Sources close to the franchise have indicated that Cummins has received clearance from Cricket Australia to participate in the IPL, but he will need additional time to be match-ready.

SRH schedule and leadership call

Sunrisers Hyderabad will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.

They will then face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2, before returning home to take on Lucknow Super Giants on April 3.

Since taking over as captain, Cummins has led Sunrisers Hyderabad in 30 matches, winning 15, losing 14, with one no result.

His tenure includes a run to the final in 2024, where SRH finished runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders.

The following season proved more challenging, with the team finishing sixth after six wins and seven defeats.

Despite speculation over the interim captaincy, the franchise management had a clear preference for Kishan to take charge.

Both Kishan and Abhishek Sharma were part of India’s recent T20 World Cup-winning squad.

However, Kishan’s experience in the IPL played a key role in the decision, having featured in 119 matches compared to Abhishek’s 77.

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