Ishan Kishan Confirmed as SRH Captain 2026 IPL in Pat Cummins’ Absence: Abhishek Sharma Named Vice-Captain

The SRH captain 2026 question has become one of the biggest talking points ahead of the IPL season, and for good reason.

The latest update is that Ishan Kishan will captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in the early part of IPL 2026. SRH have appointed Kishan as interim SRH captain 2026 while Pat Cummins recovers from a lumbar bone stress injury that has kept him out of competitive cricket since December 2025. Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain of SRH, serving as Kishan’s deputy during the opening phase of the season.

Cummins has received clearance from Cricket Australia to travel to India and is expected to join the SRH camp in Hyderabad on March 23 — five days before the tournament begins. However, there is no confirmed date for when he will be match-fit to play, and the franchise expects him to miss at least the first few matches.

This means all ten IPL 2026 captains will be Indians at the start — only the second time this has happened. In 2019, Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood in for Kane Williamson at SRH in the opening match, creating the same scenario. Neither Kishan nor Abhishek has captained an IPL side before.

Here is everything we know about who will be the new SRH captain 2026 for the opening phase of IPL this time.

(updated on March 19, 2026 after Ishan Kishan was named interim captain)

Why Pat Cummins Will Miss the Start of IPL 2026

Pat Cummins has not played competitive cricket since the third Ashes Test in Adelaide on December 21, 2025. The Australian fast bowler suffered a lumbar bone stress injury during India’s tour of the West Indies in July 2025, and the problem has persisted through the back end of the year.

The injury ruled Cummins out of the final two matches of the Ashes 2025-26 series and subsequently the entire T20 World Cup 2026, where Australia were knocked out in the group stage after losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. He has been undergoing rehabilitation under Cricket Australia’s medical supervision and still needs to clear fitness tests before he can join the SRH setup.

A source close to the franchise told IANS: “Pat Cummins is recovering from the injury, but he mostly needs to clear his fitness tests, and then he will join the team.” There is no confirmed return date, but Cummins is expected to be available at some point during the season rather than missing the tournament entirely.

His absence is a double blow for the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for IPL 2026. They lose not just their captain of the last two seasons — during which he has registered 15 wins from 30 matches, including a run to the 2024 final — but also their most reliable fast bowler. Cummins picked up 34 wickets across those two IPL campaigns, and replacing that bowling output is arguably a bigger challenge than the captaincy itself.

Who Is the New SRH Captain? Ishan Kishan vs Abhishek Sharma

Who Is the New SRH captain 2026 IPL season? With Cummins sidelined, the captaincy decision has come down to two players: Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma. Both were members of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 winning squad, and both have legitimate claims to the role.

Why Ishan Kishan Was Chosen as the New SRH Captain

The new captain of SRH brings both recent form and proven leadership credentials to the role. SRH’s decision to pick Kishan over Abhishek Sharma was driven by several factors, according to reports from the Times of India and ESPNcricinfo.

Captaincy pedigree. Kishan led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in the 2025-26 domestic season, topping the tournament run charts in the process. That campaign demonstrated his ability to manage a squad, make tactical decisions under pressure, and lead from the front with the bat.

T20 World Cup form. Since his international comeback at the start of the year, Kishan has scored 532 runs in 13 T20Is at an average of 40.92 and a strike rate of 207.00. At the T20 World Cup 2026, he hit three half-centuries and finished as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer with 317 runs, including a match-defining knock against Pakistan. He also scored a fifty in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

Wicketkeeping advantage. As a keeper, Kishan has a direct view of the entire field from behind the stumps. That vantage point helps with bowling changes, field placements, and reading the game in real time — particularly valuable for a side whose bowling resources are already stretched without Cummins.

SRH track record. Kishan was signed by SRH for ₹11.25 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. In his first season at the franchise, he scored 354 runs at a strike rate of 152.58, including an unbeaten century on debut and a 94 not out towards the end of the campaign.

Abhishek Sharma’s Role as SRH Vice-Captain in 2026

Abhishek Sharma will serve as the vice-captain of SRH during Kishan’s tenure as interim skipper. The appointment is widely seen as a move to groom Abhishek for a future leadership role without loading him with captaincy pressure during a high-stakes opening phase.

Abhishek is the current world number one ranked T20I batter and has been with Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2019, making him the longest-serving member of the current squad. He forms one half of the most explosive opening partnership in the IPL alongside Travis Head.

At the T20 World Cup, Abhishek had a mixed tournament — three consecutive ducks in the group stage before finding form in the knockouts. He scored a fifty off just 18 balls in the final against New Zealand, demonstrating his ability to deliver on the biggest stage. He also captained Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, giving him domestic captaincy experience.

However, the SRH management reportedly felt that Kishan’s more consistent recent form and his SMAT title-winning captaincy made him the safer choice for the interim role. Abhishek’s time as captain may come, but for now, the vice-captaincy allows him to focus on what he does best — scoring at the top of the order.

When Will Pat Cummins Join SRH for IPL 2026?

Will Pat Cummins return to play IPL 2026? Pat Cummins is expected to arrive at the SRH camp in Hyderabad on March 23 after receiving clearance from Cricket Australia to travel to India. However, arriving at camp and being match-fit are two different things.

There is no confirmed date for when Cummins will play his first IPL match. The assumption within the franchise is that he will miss at least the first few games. Once he is deemed match-fit, Cummins will resume the captaincy from Kishan.

SRH open their season against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Their early schedule also includes matches against Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Punjab Kings — all fixtures where Cummins’ absence will be felt in both the captaincy and the bowling attack.

Who Is The Captain of SRH in IPL 2026? And Why Is Pat Cummins’ Absence A Big Deal?

The captaincy question is only half the problem. Cummins picked up 34 wickets across the last two IPL seasons for Sunrisers Hyderabad, and his ability to bowl with the new ball, control the middle overs, and execute at the death made him the backbone of SRH’s pace attack.

Without him, the bowling workload falls on Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, and Shivam Mavi. None of them carries Cummins’ authority or versatility. All-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Liam Livingstone offer additional overs, but SRH’s bowling was already considered the weakest department in an otherwise fearsome squad — and losing Cummins makes that vulnerability more acute.

Daniel Vettori, the SRH head coach, will need to find creative solutions early in the tournament. How Kishan manages the bowling attack — arguably the hardest part of the captaincy job — will define the success of his interim stint.

SRH IPL 2026: Key Details

For the full SRH squad and player list for IPL 2026, read our detailed SRH 2026 squad analysis.

• Check IPL 2026 injury list

Follow all latest cricket news and updates here on The Dakia.