Pat Cummins’ injury has created history in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This statement will look weird for many, but yes, Cummins’ injury has led to Sunrisers Hyderabad appointing Ishan Kishan as their stand-in captain. With this appointment, for the first time in 19 years, all 10 teams are set to have Indian captains for more than one gameย in IPL 2026.
The captains’ photoshoot will be of all Indian players for only the second time in IPL history, as the franchises have realised the importance of having the Indian players as the captain of the team. SRH was the exception in 2019 as well, when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named the captain in Kane Williamson’s absence only for the first game.
As for Cummins, she will miss at least the first three matches due to a back injury. He has played only one Test, in the Ashes, since getting injured in August last year. Kishan led his state team, Jharkhand, to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title earlier this year and was also a part of India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup 2026. Abhishek Sharma, also a part of India’s squad in the T20 World Cup, has been appointed the vice-captain of the SRH team.
Who are the captains of all 10 teams in IPL 2026?
The captains’ photoshoot will take place just before the start of the IPL season and will have all the Indian players in it for only the second time in history. Ruturaj Gaikwad returns as captain for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after getting ruled out of the season mid-way last year. Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, and Rajat Patidar are the captains of Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while India’s ODI vice-captain is leading the Punjab Kings.
Ajinkya Rahane has also been retained as captain by the Kolkata Knight Riders, and Riyan Parag is leading the Rajasthan Royals for the first time in history. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya are the captains of Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians respectively.
Captains of 10 teams in IPL 2026:
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar
Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane
Sunrisers Hyderabad:ย Ishan Kishan (stand-in)
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag
Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant
Mumbai Indians; Hardik Pandya
Also Read