Sunrisers Hyderabad have made a big call ahead of IPL 2026, handing Ishan Kishan the responsibility of leading the side in the opening matches as Pat Cummins continues his recovery from injury. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter, fresh from playing a key role in the country’s recent T20 World Cup success, will take charge on an interim basis. Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain, adding another young voice to the leadership group for the early part of the season.
“Pat Cummins will miss a few games while recovering from injury. Until he recovers, Ishan Kishan will be the Captain and Abhishek Sharma will be the Vice-Captain,” SRH announced on X.
It was a bold move from SRH, considering Kishan had only joined the side last season, but the franchise had invested INR 11.25 crore in him. His first campaign was a mixed one, as he managed 354 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 152.58, with a century and a half-century highlighting his performances.
Meanwhile, Ishan has been in terrific form since returning to the Indian team, playing a key role in the title-winning campaign. He scored 317 runs, including three centuries, one of which came in the final against New Zealand. He is expected to slot in at No. 3 in SRH’s batting order, with Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head likely to open the innings, giving the top order a strong and aggressive look.
Over the years, Kishan has put together a strong IPL record, playing more than 100 matches across different teams. The left-hander has scored nearly 3000 runs, striking at a healthy rate, while registering a century and several half-centuries along the way.
Abhishek Sharma named SRH’s interim vice-captain
Meanwhile, Abhishek, who has been on a sharp rise in international cricket, has been named Ishan Kishan’s deputy. The duo currently occupy the top two spots in the ICC T20I batting rankings, underlining their impact at the highest level. Abhishek had a mixed T20 World Cup as he arrived at the tournament with plenty of expectations but endured a rough start, recording three successive ducks in Group A games against the USA, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. He showed signs of recovery with a composed half-century against Zimbabwe in the Super 8 stage, building some momentum ahead of the final. When it mattered most, he delivered on the big stage, smashing 52 off just 21 balls, including the fastest fifty of the 2026 edition in 18 deliveries, powering India to a massive total of 255.
