Our Bureau
Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad have named Ishan Kishan as their interim captain for the start of TATA IPL 2026. This comes as regular skipper Pat Cummins recovers from an injury and misses the first few matches.
The team made the announcement on social media on March 18. Abhishek Sharma will serve as vice-captain to support Kishan. SRH, the 2016 IPL winners, face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their opener on March 28 in Bengaluru.
Kishan, a 27-year-old left-handed opener and wicketkeeper, joined SRH for Rs 11.25 crore in the 2025 auction. Last season, he smashed 354 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 152.58, including a blazing 106 not out off 47 balls on debut against Rajasthan Royals.
His form has soared after a strong showing in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 win, where he scored 317 runs at a strike rate over 193. Kishan has led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title recently, proving his captaincy skills with a high win rate in T20s.
Cummins’ absence is a blow, but Kishan brings explosive energy and sharp tactics. Fans hope this duo keeps SRH’s strong batting line-up firing. With the IPL starting soon, all eyes are on Kishan to lead the Orange Army to early wins.
