Ishan Kishan Begins Captaincy Journey with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026

Ishan Kishan's Captaincy Debut

Ishan Kishan stepped into the role of captain for the first time on March 28, leading Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). He takes over from the regular captain, Pat Cummins, who is currently recovering from a persistent back injury. Cummins has faced a tough time, missing significant matches including most of the 2025–26 Ashes series and the 2026 T20 World Cup. His return to the team is expected to be in the latter part of the tournament. Abhishek Sharma will support Kishan as vice-captain for at least the first seven matches.

This leadership change is significant for SRH, as Kishan became the youngest Indian to lead the team at the toss against RCB. His appointment signifies a shift towards a younger leadership style within the squad. However, the record for the youngest captain of SRH still belongs to Kane Williamson, who was 27 years and 244 days old when he took over in 2018. Once Cummins is fully fit, Kishan is likely to transition back to the vice-captain role.

The team's approach to captaincy changes has historical precedence. Following David Warner's suspension in 2018, Kane Williamson was appointed captain and led the team to the finals, where they narrowly lost to Chennai Super Kings. Warner returned to captaincy in 2020 after a year under Williamson's leadership. Alongside Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kishan is now among the few Indian players to have captained SRH. At 27 years and 253 days, Kishan was acquired for Rs 11.25 crore during the 2025 mega-auction, and the team has retained him despite a challenging first season.