Mumbai, March 17: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) regular captain Pat Cummins is currently recovering from a back injury and will not play in the initial matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In his absence, Indian left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma and wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan are leading the race for the team’s captaincy.
Cummins has not played competitive cricket since the third Ashes Test in Adelaide in December 2025. Following a tour of the West Indies, he has been sidelined due to a lumbar bone stress injury in his lower back. This injury also forced him to miss the remaining Ashes matches and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
According to sources, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan are the frontrunners to lead the team during Cummins’ absence. Ishan Kishan has been part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad since IPL 2025 and recently led Jharkhand to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy during the domestic season, making him a strong candidate for the captaincy.
On the other hand, Abhishek joined Sunrisers Hyderabad before IPL 2019 and has been a key member of the team. He has formed an aggressive opening partnership with Australia’s Travis Head. Ishan, in excellent form, scored three half-centuries during India’s T20 World Cup victory, while Abhishek made a blistering half-century off just 18 balls in the final match, which India won by 96 runs.
A source mentioned on Monday, “Currently, Pat Cummins is recovering from his injury, but he primarily needs to pass his fitness test before rejoining the team. He is ready to play, but he must clear the fitness test first. Since Cummins will take more time to recover, the team management is still deciding whether Ishan or Abhishek will lead the Sunrisers Hyderabad.”
The source added, “If all goes well, the interim captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad will participate in the IPL 2026 captains and managers meeting on March 25 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. There will also be a traditional photoshoot with all ten captains alongside the tournament trophy.”
If Abhishek becomes the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, it will be his first time leading an IPL team, a situation that also applies to Ishan Kishan.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who won the IPL 2016 title, will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
