IPL 2026: Can SRH survive without captain Pat Cummins?

IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the first few matches of the IPL. How big is this blow? Can SRH survive games without their mercurial captain?

On Wednesday, March 18, just 10 days before the start of the season, SRH confirmed that Cummins will not feature in the initial fixtures of IPL 2026. Details around his return remain unclear, much like Cummins’ own comments during the build-up, where he said his availability would depend on how his back responds during rehabilitation.

With no clear timeline, SRH have named the left-handed duo of Ishan Kishan as captain and Abhishek Sharma as vice-captain. It is an intriguing call, considering Kishan has played only one season with the franchise and has been preferred over Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhishek himself.

Kishan’s appointment also reflects a compelling personal turnaround. After falling out of favour with the Indian team in 2022 and losing his Board of Control for Cricket in India contract in 2023, he has worked his way back. Not a lot of people can do that. But that is perhaps a story for another time.

At this moment, the larger question remains about Cummins and whether SRH can cope without their strike bowler and on-field leader.

Cummins had an immediate impact after being signed for Rs 20.50 crore, transforming a side that had struggled at the bottom of the table in previous seasons. He brought a high-intensity approach that redefined batting expectations in the league, making totals of 250 and beyond seem achievable.

Under his leadership, SRH reached the IPL final for the first time in six years.