India's opening batsman Ishan Kishan Pat Cummins is likely to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season amid question marks over his availability.
Cummins has received little playing time since competing in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa. He played three Tests against the West Indies away from home in July 2025 and only one Ashes Test, having not played professional cricket since.
With no clarity on his IPL availability, reports suggest that Kishan is the ideal replacement as SRH captain during the 2026 season.
Kishan is one of the best captaincy options for the Hyderabad-based team cummins No facility for IPL portion. The left-handed batsman has improved himself in the last few months and is in top form with the bat.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was a memorable one for the 27-year-old as he led Jharkhand to its first T20 title under his captaincy and he was also the leading run-scorer in the tournament, scoring 517 runs at an average of 57.44 and a strike rate of 197.32. He scored two centuries in the tournament, including one in the final against Haryana in Pune.
Kishan's exploits with Jharkhand helped him make a comeback into India's T20I setup ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he finished as India's second-highest run-scorer. He scored 54 in the final in Ahmedabad, as the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to retain their T20 title.
Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, SRH have become one of the most dangerous teams in IPL history, featuring veteran players like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen. However, last season they finished sixth and missed the playoffs despite winning their last three games.
Kishan had quite a fruitful IPL season last time out, his first in SRH colours, as the left-handed batsman scored 354 runs, including his maiden IPL century – an unbeaten 106 against Rajasthan Royals in his debut match for the team.
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