According to an ESPNcricinfo report, the franchise has internally decided to hand Kishan interim captaincy duties while Cummins continues his recovery from a lumbar stress issue that also ruled him out of Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Cummins’ fitness uncertainty delays return
Cummins is expected to arrive in Hyderabad on March 23 after receiving clearance from Cricket Australia to travel for the IPL. However, there is no confirmed timeline for his return to competitive action, with indications suggesting he could miss the first few matches of the season.
SRH are scheduled to begin their IPL 2026 campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28. In the absence of Cummins, the team will rely on Kishan to lead the side in a high-profile opening clash.
The Australian fast bowler has been dealing with a lumbar stress-related problem for some time. The injury limited his participation during the recent home season, where he featured in only one Test — the third Ashes match in Adelaide — but still delivered a notable performance with six wickets.
Kishan to get first IPL captaincy stint
Kishan, who has not previously captained an IPL side, will be supported by Abhishek Sharma, who is expected to serve as vice-captain. Both players were part of India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year.
The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has been in strong form leading into the IPL. He was among the standout performers for SRH in the previous season after being signed for ₹11.25 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Kishan scored 354 runs at a strike rate of over 150, including an unbeaten century on debut for the franchise and a match-winning 94 not out later in the season.
Strong domestic and international form
Kishan’s recent performances have further strengthened his credentials for the leadership role. He led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, finishing as the tournament’s top run-scorer.
Since returning to India’s T20 International (T20I) side earlier this year, Kishan has amassed 532 runs in 13 matches at an average above 40 and an impressive strike rate exceeding 200. He also played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph, registering three half-centuries.
Abhishek Sharma, though quieter through much of the tournament, made a crucial contribution in the final alongside Kishan, with both players scoring fifties against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
Rare all-Indian captaincy season
IPL 2026 is set to begin with all ten franchises being led by Indian captains — a relatively rare occurrence — until Cummins returns to reclaim leadership duties at SRH. The last such instance dates back to 2019, when an overseas captain missed the initial matches, prompting a temporary leadership change.
