Pat Cummins to Miss Initial Matches of IPL 2026 as Ishan Kishan Takes Charge
Pat Cummins' Injury Update
Pat Cummins, the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has joined his teammates ahead of their opening match in the IPL 2026 season. However, he will not be available for selection immediately due to a back injury. Cummins has stated that he is not yet fit to play and will miss the first half of the tournament. The Australian Test captain has not participated in competitive cricket this year, having played only one Test during the Ashes series and missing the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
Before the IPL 2026 commenced, Cummins expressed optimism about his recovery, stating, "I'm still recovering from a back injury, but it's good. I'm back bowling in the nets. The IPL is starting soon. I won't make the start of that, but it shouldn't be too long before I'm back out there playing. I'm back bowling. I'm bowling basically every third day at the moment. We've mapped out a plan to get me right by the middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, I'll play the back half plus the finals," during an interview on the Business of Sport podcast.
Ishan Kishan Steps Up as Captain
In Cummins' absence, SRH has announced that Ishan Kishan will take over the captaincy. Kishan, who made his IPL debut with Gujarat Lions in 2016, will lead an IPL team for the first time. He was part of the Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2024 and recently captained the Jharkhand cricket team to victory in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, securing his spot in the 2026 World Cup team. Kishan aims to replicate his success in the IPL.
Abhishek Sharma will support Kishan during the tournament. He has been with SRH since IPL 2019 and played a significant role in India's T20 World Cup victory in 2026.
Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2026 Schedule
Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2026 Schedule
Sunrisers Hyderabad will begin their IPL 2026 journey against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28. They will face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2 and play their first home match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 5. Following a six-day break, they will host Punjab Kings on April 11. Currently, the BCCI has only released the schedule for the first 20 matches.