Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins will miss the first few matches of the IPL 2026. The pacer is currently recovering from a back injury, for which he featured in only one of the Ashes Tests and was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026. Currently, his fitness status hasnโt been shared by Cricket Australia or Hyderabad management, but in all likelihood, the pacer will miss a few games to start with.
In his absence, Ishan Kishan is set to lead the 2016 champions. The team management wants the keeper-batter to lead, while Abhishek Sharma will serve as his deputy. Notably, Kishan recently led by example, helping Jharkhand lift their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beating Haryana in the final. Kishan made a scintillating century in the summit clash, which also helped him return to the India squad during the T20 World Cup 2026.
Even though Kishan has never led in the IPL, he is being trusted for the role, given his experience in Indian conditions. Notably, the likes of Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen have experience in leading their national teams, but the team management believes that Kishan is the right fit.
Abhishek, in the meantime, will be groomed in the leadership group and Sunrisers see him as a potential leader in the future.
SRHโs schedule
The Sunrisers will feature in the opening day of the IPL 2026 as the team will play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. They will next play Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 2. The team will play their first home game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 5. On April 11, the side will play Punjab Kings away from home. By then, Cummins is expected to return to the fold. However, if the team is off to a good start, they can take some time and allow Cummins to recover completely before he returns.
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