TL;DR: Sunrisers Hyderabad are likely to appoint Ishan Kishan as interim captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League season due to an injury to Pat Cummins. While no official confirmation has been issued, reports suggest Kishan is the frontrunner thanks to his strong domestic leadership record and recent form.
Quick Reads
- Sunrisers Hyderabad may name Ishan Kishan as interim captain
- Pat Cummins remains doubtful due to injury
- Kishan has strong captaincy experience in domestic cricket
- IPL captaincy debut likely vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- No official confirmation yet from SRH
SRH Captaincy Update: What We Know So Far
Sunrisers Hyderabad could see a leadership change ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League. Reports indicate that Ishan Kishan is set to take over as interim skipper.
The development comes as regular captain Pat Cummins continues to deal with a lingering injury concern, putting his participation in doubt.
Why Pat Cummins May Miss IPL 2026
Cummins has been sidelined since July 2025 with a lumbar stress issue. He featured briefly in the The Ashes last December but missed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has not yet been cleared by Cricket Australia to return.
With uncertainty surrounding his fitness, SRH management has reportedly explored backup captaincy options.
Ishan Kishan’s Captaincy Credentials
According to reports, Ishan Kishan has emerged as the frontrunner over Abhishek Sharma.
While he has not captained in the IPL before, Kishan brings solid leadership experience:
- Led India to the Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 final
- Captained Jharkhand in 79 matches across formats
- Recently guided them to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title
- T20 captaincy record: 29 matches, 23 wins (79.31% win rate)
In comparison, Abhishek Sharma has led Punjab in 31 matches but lacks a proven track record at the senior level.
Potential IPL 2026 Debut as Captain
If confirmed, Kishan is expected to make his IPL captaincy debut on March 28 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He would become:
- SRH’s 11th captain
- First Indian skipper for the franchise since Bhuvneshwar Kumar in 2023
Key Facts
- Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Likely Captain: Ishan Kishan
- Current Captain (Injured): Pat Cummins
- Season: Indian Premier League 2026
- First Match: March 28 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Sources
- Media reports and franchise-level discussions (unofficial)
- Domestic cricket records and statistics
- Updates linked to Cricket Australia fitness clearance
Disclaimer
This article is based on publicly available reports and sources. Sunrisers Hyderabad has not made an official announcement regarding captaincy at the time of writing. Details may change once confirmed by the franchise or the Indian Premier League authorities.
