Pat Cummins to Miss Initial Matches of IPL 2026; Ishan Kishan Steps Up as Captain

In a significant development for the IPL 2026 season, Pat Cummins will be absent for the initial matches due to a back injury. Ishan Kishan has been appointed as the stand-in captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad during this period. Kishan, who has shown exceptional form recently, will lead the team alongside vice-captain Abhishek Sharma. This change comes after Cummins' struggles with injury, which also affected his participation in the T20 World Cup. The SRH squad is set for an exciting season ahead, with Kishan's leadership promising to bring fresh energy to the team.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 19, 2026, 02:21 IST

Pat Cummins' Injury Forces Him to Sit Out Early IPL Matches

Hyderabad (Telangana) - March 18: Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia's white-ball cricket team, will be sidelined for the beginning of the IPL 2026 season due to a back injury. In his absence, Ishan Kishan, the talented wicketkeeper-batter from India, has been appointed as the interim captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

The franchise made the announcement via a post on X, indicating that Cummins will be out for 'a few games' as he recuperates from an injury sustained prior to the 2025-26 Ashes series. Cummins participated in one match of the Ashes but had to withdraw from the remaining games due to this injury, which also kept him out of the T20 World Cup 2026.

In light of Cummins' situation, SRH confirmed that Ishan Kishan will lead the team, with Abhishek Sharma serving as vice-captain.

Ishan Kishan has been in remarkable form, having led Jharkhand to their inaugural Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy victory in 2025, where he emerged as the tournament's leading scorer with 517 runs. His impressive performances earned him a spot back in India's T20 World Cup squad, where he played a pivotal role in defending the title.

During the 2026 T20 World Cup, Kishan accumulated 317 runs, finishing as the team's second-highest run-scorer.

SRH acquired Ishan Kishan for Rs 14.5 crore before the IPL 2025 season, and he made an immediate impact by scoring a century off just 45 balls in his debut against Rajasthan Royals. He concluded the season with a total of 354 runs across 13 innings, averaging 35.40.

The SRH squad for the IPL 2026 season includes: Salil Arora, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Brydon Carse, Harsh Dubey, Jack Edwards, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Mavi, Pat Cummins, Amit Kumar, Krains Fuletra, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, Harshal Patel, Sakib Hussain, Shivang Kumar, Onkar Tarmale, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari.