The opener Abhishek Sharma is likely to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first few games of the IPL 2026 schedule with the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins.

According to reports, the Australian pacer is dealing with fitness concerns, and the franchise is closely monitoring Cummins’ recovery ahead of the season.

Cummins has been out of action since July 2025 due to a lumbar stress injury and featured in only one game of the Ashes in December.

He also missed the T20 World Cup 2026 and hasn’t been cleared by Cricket Australia to return to cricket.

Pat Cummins became the captain of SRH in the IPL 2024 season. Under his leadership, the side developed into a competitive side where he emerged as a runner in the 2024 season.

Cummins has played 60 IPL games so far and picked 65 wickets in the tournament. He also plays a crucial role in the lower middle order and maintains his strike rate above 150.

If he misses the games, Abhishek Sharma is expected to lead the team. The all-rounder could captain Hyderabad in the first few matches.

Currently ranked as no.1 in ICC T20I batter rankings, his aggressive style makes him one of the most dangerous players in the format. He has scored more than 1200 runs in the Indian Premier League and also maintains an impressive strike rate of close to 150.

He also bowls left-arm spin when required. He has taken some crucial wickets in key games, and the management believes he has strong leadership qualities. Ahishek Sharma has also captained teams in domestic and junior cricket.

On the other hand, some reports have suggested Ishan Kishan has also been considered for captaincy duties. Despite having captained IPL teams, he has rich experience in captaincy and has also taken India to u19 ODI World Cup finals in 2016.

He has also captained Jharkhand in 79 games across formats and also guided the side to its first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. He also had an impressive campaign in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, playing a crucial role in India’s title-winning campaign.

As per the fixtures, Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their opener match against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.