Sunrisers Hyderabad are not overly concerned about the absence of their regular captain Pat Cummins, with head coach Daniel Vettori expressing confidence in stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Cummins continues to recover from a persistent back injury that has kept him out of action since the T20 World Cup 2026.
The Australian pacer has endured a frustrating run with fitness, having also missed significant cricket since Australia’s tour of the West Indies last year. While he has resumed bowling in the nets, he is yet to regain full match fitness and is expected to return only midway through the season.
In the meantime, SRH have placed their faith in Kishan, who impressed despite the team’s heavy defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their opener. The wicketkeeper-batter played a standout knock of 80 off 38 balls, offering a glimpse of his ability to lead from the front even as the rest of the batting lineup struggled.
ALSO READ: Mukul Choudhary Confirms Mayank Yadav’s Fitness Amid LSG Selection Surprise
“We’re fortunate enough that Pat has been around the group and he’s been able to have conversations with Ishan about his captaincy style,” Daniel Vettori said, underlining the behind-the-scenes support available to the young leader.
Daniel Vettori also made it clear that the team does not view the captaincy shift as a disadvantage. “Ishan has been highly successful in his captaincy career so far… we don’t look at it as a negative at all,” he added, reinforcing the management’s belief in Kishan’s leadership potential.
ALSO READ: Abhishek Nayar Backs Cameron Green, Reveals KKR’s Long-Term Idea Behind Selection
The coach believes Kishan’s proactive approach and enthusiasm can positively impact both his batting and the team’s overall energy. However, SRH’s biggest concern remains their bowling, which came under severe pressure in the opening game after conceding over 200 runs in quick time.
With Cummins still unavailable, SRH will need a sharper bowling performance and possibly a big total on the board to challenge KKR in their upcoming fixture.
