IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan frontrunner to captain SRH in Pat Cummins' absence

India opener Ishan Kishan is likely to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season amid question marks surrounding Pat Cummins’ availability.

Cummins has had very little game time under his belt since competing at the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa. He played three Tests against West Indies away from home in July 2025 and featured in just one Ashes Test, having not played professional cricket since. 

With no clarity on his IPL availability, reports suggest that Kishan is the ideal replacement as SRH captain during the 2026 season. 

Kishan is one of the best captaincy choices for the Hyderabad-based outfit should Cummins not feature for the part of the IPL. The left-handed batter has redeemed himself over the last few months and is on top form with the bat.

The 27-year-old had a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to remember as he captained Jharkhand to their maiden T20 title, whilst being the tournament’s highest run-scorer, scoring 517 runs at an average of 57.44 and a strike-rate of 197.32. He scored two centuries in the tournament, including one in the final against Haryana in Pune. 

Kishan’s exploits with Jharkhand saw him make a comeback into India’s T20I setup ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup where he finished as India's second-highest runs-scorer. He also scored 54 in the final in Ahmedabad to help the Men in Blue retain their T20 crown by beating New Zealand by 96 runs. 

SRH have become one of the most dangerous sides in IPL history Under Pat Cummins, possessing heavy-hitters like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen in their ranks. Last season, however, they finished sixth in the standing and missed the playoffs despite winning their final three games. 

Kishan had a fruitful IPL season last time around, his first in SRH colours, as the left-hander scored 354 runs, including his maiden IPL century - an unbeaten 106 against Rajasthan Royals on his debut for the team.