The Indian Premier League 2026 season could witness a rare moment in the tournament’s history. Sunrisers Hyderabad have announced a change in leadership for the start of the season after their regular captain Pat Cummins suffered an injury.
With Ishan Kishan taking charge of the team, IPL 2026 may feature Indian captains leading all franchises for the first time in many years.
SRH Appoint Ishan Kishan as Stand-In Captain
Sunrisers Hyderabad confirmed that Ishan Kishan will captain the side at the beginning of IPL 2026. Regular captain Pat Cummins is currently recovering from a lower back injury and will miss the opening matches of the tournament.
The franchise has also named Abhishek Sharma as the vice-captain during Cummins’ absence.
Kishan will lead the team in the early part of the season until Cummins regains full fitness and returns to the squad.
This will be Kishan’s first time captaining Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
IPL 2026 Could Feature All-Indian Captains
Before the leadership change, Pat Cummins was the only overseas captain among the IPL teams. With his temporary absence and Kishan taking charge, all franchises could now be led by Indian captains during the early matches of IPL 2026.
Rajasthan Royals also made a leadership change earlier, naming Riyan Parag as captain after Sanju Samson left the squad.
This situation highlights a shift where franchises are increasingly trusting Indian players to lead their teams in the league.
Ishan Kishan’s Leadership Record and Recent Form
Ishan Kishan has shown leadership ability in domestic cricket as well. In 2025, he captained Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.
During that tournament, Kishan led from the front with impressive batting performances.
Also See : RCB No Longer Depends Only on Virat Kohli, Says AB de Villiers Ahead of IPL 2026
Ishan Kishan – Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025
| Matches | Runs | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 517 | 197 |
His strong form continued in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he played an important role for India.
Ishan Kishan – T20 World Cup 2026 Performance
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 317 | 35.22 | 193 |
These performances explain why Sunrisers Hyderabad have trusted him to lead the team during Cummins’ absence.
IPL 2026 Captains List
| Team | Captain (IPL 2026) |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Delhi Capitals | Axar Patel |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Ajinkya Rahane |
| Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rajat Patidar |
| Punjab Kings | Shreyas Iyer |
| Rajasthan Royals | Riyan Parag |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Rishabh Pant |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Ishan Kishan |
IPL 2019 Captains List (For Comparison)
| Team | Captain (IPL 2019) |
|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Virat Kohli |
| Rajasthan Royals | Ajinkya Rahane |
| Kings XI Punjab | Ravichandran Ashwin |
| Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Dinesh Karthik |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
| Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma |
| Delhi Capitals | Shreyas Iyer |
The captaincy change at Sunrisers Hyderabad could create a unique moment in IPL history where Indian players lead all teams at the same time.
For Ishan Kishan, it is a major opportunity to showcase his leadership skills on one of cricket’s biggest stages.
Fans will be watching closely to see how he manages the team and whether Sunrisers Hyderabad can start the season strongly under his leadership.
