Ishan Kishan to Captain SRH in IPL 2026 Start for Injured Cummins

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan is set to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad at the start of the Indian Premier League's 2026 season, filling in for regular skipper Pat Cummins, whose return remains uncertain due to injury. The 27-year-old left-hander, who joined SRH in the 2025 auction for a record price, emerges as the frontrunner following discussions among team management, according to reports from reliable sources.

Cummins, the Australian fast bowler who led SRH to the IPL final in 2024 before the team finished sixth the following year, has been sidelined by a lumbar stress injury. He made only one appearance in the 2025-26 Ashes series before withdrawing and missed India's T20 World Cup campaign. Officials indicate no clear timeline for his availability, prompting SRH to identify a temporary leader. Kishan, with prior captaincy experience, including guiding Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2025-26, was deemed the most suitable candidate. In that domestic triumph, he scored a century in the final against Haryana and amassed 517 runs at a strike rate of 197.33.

Kishan's recent form has bolstered his case. After a strong debut IPL season with SRH in...