Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have received a series of encouraging and challenging updates ahead of the IPL 2026 season, with captain Pat Cummins joining the team but not taking on leadership responsibilities immediately.
According to Cricbuzz, SRH captain Pat Cummins is expected to arrive in India on March 24, 2026, and the team will begin final preparations for the new season. However, a back injury will keep the Australian pacer out of the first phase of the tournament. Cummins will continue his recovery with the assistance of the SRH medical staff and the team is taking a cautious approach to ensure he is fully recovered before returning to competition.
Ishan Kishan leads the way in first game
In Cummins’ absence, Ishan Kishan will serve as interim captain for the first 5-6 games of the season. Kishan will also represent SRH at the captain’s meeting in Mumbai on March 25, indicating the team management’s confidence in his leadership abilities in the early stages.
This temporary change in leadership comes at a crucial time with SRH scheduled to take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore in the season opener on March 28 at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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Malinga cleanup strengthens SRH line-up
In further good news, Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Sri Lanka Cricket Association, allowing him to participate in the 2026 IPL. The 25-year-old right-arm fastman is expected to join the SRH training camp in Hyderabad on March 24 to strengthen the team’s pace attack ahead of the matches. He will be paired with fellow Sri Lankan all-rounder Kamindu Mendis, who has been cleared previously.
SRH line-up for IPL 2026: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, R. Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Mavi, Salil Arora, Shivang Kumar, Omkar Tarmale, Krains Fuletra, Praful Hinge, Amit Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Jack Edwards
