Ishan Kishan named SRH interim captain for IPL 2026 as Pat Cummins recovers from back injury
Pat Cummins will not lead Sunrisers Hyderabad when IPL 2026 kicks off on March 28. The Australian has been battling a lumbar stress injury since July 2025, the same problem that kept him out of the T20 World Cup earlier this month, and SRH confirmed on Wednesday that he will miss the opening few games of the season.
Kishan gets his first captaincy shot
In Cummins' absence, the franchise has handed the armband to Ishan Kishan. It is the wicketkeeper-batter's first stint as IPL captain, and it comes on the back of a strong run of form. Kishan captained Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title earlier this season and was part of India's T20 World Cup-winning squad that lifted the trophy in Ahmedabad on March 8.
SRH paid INR 11.25 crore for Kishan at the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season. He has repaid that faith with consistent performances, and the franchise clearly trust him to hold things together while Cummins gets fit.
Abhishek Sharma steps up as vice-captain
Abhishek Sharma, currently the ICC's top-ranked T20I batter with 875 rating points, has been named vice-captain. The left-hander has become one of Indian cricket's most explosive white-ball batters and gives Kishan an experienced partner in the leadership group.
SRH have not set a firm return date for Cummins, though the expectation is that the Australian will feature at some point during the season. Their first match is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, and Kishan will lead from the front in what shapes up as one of the most anticipated openers in years.
A crowded IPL captaincy picture
Kishan joins a growing list of interim and new captains across the league this year. Riyan Parag has taken over at Rajasthan Royals following Sanju Samson's departure to Chennai Super Kings, while Rajat Patidar continues to lead RCB after guiding them to their first title in 2025. With nine days until the first ball, franchises are putting the final touches on their pre-season preparations.
