Sunrisers Hyderabad may need to appoint a captain for IPL 2026 as regular captain Pat Cummins has not yet joined the squad and his return date remains unclear due to a back injury.
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has not joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for IPL 2026 as he continues to recover from a back injury. He is not fully fit, and there is no clarity on when he will be available to join the team. As a result, he is likely to miss the initial matches of the season.
In Cummins’ absence, Sunrisers Hyderabad may assign captaincy responsibilities to another player for the upcoming season. India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has emerged as the leading contender for the role. According to a Times of India report, the team management is considering appointing Kishan as captain.
Kishan recently led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. He has also captained the India Under-19 team, including at the Under-19 World Cup.
Alongside a potential appointment of Ishan Kishan as captain, young player Abhishek Sharma may be considered for the vice-captain’s role as part of the team’s strategy and squad balance.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 28 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The match will be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Ishan Kishan has played 119 IPL matches for three franchises, scoring 2998 runs at an average of 29.10 and a strike rate of 137.64, including 1 century and 17 half-centuries. As a wicketkeeper, he has taken 59 catches and effected 5 stumpings.
In 2025, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Kishan at the auction for Rs 11.25 crore.
In the previous season, Kishan scored 354 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 152.58, including one century and one half-century.
If Pat Cummins returns fully fit and joins the squad, he may resume captaincy responsibilities. Sunrisers Hyderabad will be aiming to win their first IPL title since 2016.
