Ishan Kishan is set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, replacing the injured Pat Cummins.
The Australian Test and ODI captain continues to recover from a back injury and will miss the start of the campaign. Abhishek Sharma has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Kishan for this interim period.
Team insiders have confirmed that the arrangement is a temporary measure, with Cummins expected to take back the captaincy once he is fully fit.
While it is not confirmed how many matches Cummins will miss, he is set to join Sunrisers in India on March 23.
He will undertake a rehabilitation program with the owner’s medical team. Reports suggest that the fast bowler may be sidelined for the first three matches of the season.
Hyderabad begin their IPL campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
They then face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2, before their first home game of the season against Lucknow Supergiants on April 3.
The 32-year-old has not played competitive cricket since December, featuring only in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
A lingering back problem ruled him out before and after that tournament and also made him miss the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
Sources close to the franchise have confirmed that Cummins has received the necessary clearance from Cricket Australia to participate in the IPL, but he will need more time to prepare for match conditions.
Since taking charge of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cummins has led the team in 30 matches, with 15 wins against 14 losses, with no draw.
His captaincy included a memorable run to the finals in 2024, where the team finished runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders.
The following season was more challenging, with the team managing six wins and seven losses to finish sixth in the table.
Despite widespread speculation about the interim captaincy, the franchise management was clear in its intention for Kishan to take up the role.
Both Kishan and his partner, Abhishek Sharma, were integral members of India’s recent T20 World Cup winning team.
However, 27-year-old Kishan’s seniority and considerable IPL experienceβhe has featured in 119 matches compared to Abhishek’s 77βare key factors in his being given the nod for the captaincy.
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