Ishan Kishan Set to Lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2027 IPL Amid Cummins' Uncertain Future
Leadership Transition for Sunrisers Hyderabad
Following his leadership of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the initial seven matches of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), Ishan Kishan may take on the captaincy for the entire 2027 season. This potential change comes as Pat Cummins has suggested he might not participate in next year's tournament. The Australian captain was sidelined for the first half of the current season due to an injury.
Cummins highlighted the demanding schedule for the national team, which includes a five-match Test series in India and additional matches against both India and England. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) is set to occur just before the IPL's 20th edition, running from January 21 to March 3. Following the IPL, the Ashes series is scheduled for June, and if Australia qualifies, they may also compete in a World Test Championship (WTC) final.
While acknowledging the need to prioritize, Cummins stated that Test cricket and the ODI World Cup will remain his main focus. He expressed his intention to make a decision that aligns with the best interests of SRH. “Something has got to give at some stage next year, and it’s not going to be Test matches or an ODI World Cup. I will make a call a lot closer and work with the franchise to see what makes sense,” Cummins remarked.
Before the challenging series against India and England in 2027, Australia will also face New Zealand in a four-match home Test series in January. Cummins mentioned the possibility of resting himself, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood for certain matches to manage the workload of the veteran pace attack. “Yeah it’s possible. I think we’re fairly open-minded to anything, as we’ve seen over the last couple of years,” he noted.
He added, “I’ve played one [Test] in the last 12 months, so I’m feeling a lot fresher than maybe some of the other guys, but they are big series. It’s going to be a big push the next 18 months or so, but I think we’ll look back on it hopefully and see it as one of the more rewarding periods of our career.”