Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the early matches of IPL 2026. The move comes after regular captain Pat Cummins was ruled out due to a back injury. Abhishek Sharma has been named as his deputy.
Cummins Out With Back Injury
Cummins has been out of competitive cricket since July 2025. He is recovering from a lumbar bone stress injury in his lower back. He last played in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide in December 2025.
The injury later ruled him out of the remaining Ashes matches and the 2026 T20 World Cup. Cricket Australia has not yet cleared him to return to full duties.
With no clear timeline for his return, SRH management held discussions on a replacement captain.
Kishan Chosen to Lead
According to a Times of India report, the SRH management has identified Kishan as the most suitable candidate to captain the side in Cummins’ absence. Abhishek Sharma was also considered for the role, but lacks Kishan’s proven track record at the senior level.
If confirmed, Kishan will be the 11th captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad and the first Indian captain of the side since Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the team in 2023.
Why Kishan?
The SRH management pointed to three main reasons for the choice.
Kishan has captained India in the Under-19 World Cup final in 2016 and has led Jharkhand in 79 matches across formats. He recently guided them to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. His T20 captaincy record stands at 29 matches with 23 wins, giving him a win percentage of 79.31.
His recent form also played a part. In the 2026 T20 World Cup, he finished as India’s second-highest run-getter, scoring 317 runs in nine innings at a strike rate above 193. His campaign included three half-centuries, including one in the final, helping India win the title.
As a wicketkeeper, Kishan also gives the team a better view of the field and more control over bowling changes.
His IPL Record
Kishan is no stranger to big stages in the IPL. Across 119 IPL matches for three franchises, he has scored 2,998 runs from 112 innings. He has also taken 59 catches and made five stumpings behind the stumps.
In IPL 2025, his first season in SRH colours, he scored 354 runs in 14 matches, including his maiden IPL century, an unbeaten 106 against Rajasthan Royals on debut for the team.
SRH Open Against RCB on March 28
SRH will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28.
SRH reached the IPL 2024 final under Cummins but finished sixth in the 2025 season, missing the playoffs despite winning their last three games.
Cummins is expected to join the squad once he clears his fitness tests with Cricket Australia.
