Ishan Kishan has been named interim captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2026 season as regular skipper Pat Cummins continues his recovery from injury. The franchise confirmed Kishan will lead the side until Cummins is fully fit, with opener Abhishek Sharma promoted to vice-captain.
SRH made the announcement as the team prepares for its opening match on March 28, 2026, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The decision hands Kishan the captaincy responsibilities for a run of early fixtures that also include matches on April 2 and April 5, and an away game on April 11-by which time Cummins is expected to rejoin the squad.
Kishan’s appointment follows a sustained purple patch. He captained Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in December 2025 and finished the tournament as top-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings, highlighting his recent consistency and impact in the T20 format.
Those domestic performances helped revive Kishan’s international career after a three-year absence. He was a key contributor to India’s home T20 World Cup triumph, scoring 317 runs in the tournament and emerging as one of the team’s leading batsmen.
Kishan’s form has continued into 2026, with 532 runs in 13 T20I innings and a rise to a career-best No. 2 ranking in T20Is, just behind teammate Abhishek Sharma. The promotion to interim captain reflects the franchise’s confidence in his leadership and batting form.
Kishan joined Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2025 season for Rs. 14.5 crore and had an immediate impact, blasting a 45-ball century against Rajasthan Royals. Despite a mid-season dip, he finished 2025 with 354 runs from 13 innings.
The leadership change gives SRH a settled senior figure at the top during Cummins’ absence and places added responsibility on Kishan and vice-captain Sharma as the team targets a strong start to the 2026 IPL season.
Original Source: https://www.guwahatiplus.com/india/ishan-kishan-to-lead-sunrisers-hyderabad-in-pat-cummins-absence-abhishek-sharma-to-serve-as-vice-captain
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Publish Date: 2026-03-18 19:08:00
