Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to open their IPL 2026 campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, just days before the tournament begins, the franchise has been dealt a significant blow with captain Pat Cummins likely to miss the initial matches of the season.

According to a report by the Times of India, the Australian all-rounder—retained for a hefty Rs 18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction—may not be available at the start of IPL 2026. Cummins has led Sunrisers Hyderabad over the past two seasons and has been central to their leadership structure, making his absence a major concern for the team management.

In his absence, India’s T20I opener Abhishek Sharma is expected to step up and take on the captaincy role. The left-hander, currently ranked the No. 1 T20I batter in the world, could be handed a huge leadership opportunity early in the season. As per reports, the team management is ready to back the young batter to lead the side during Cummins’ unavailability.

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Cummins’ absence could also impact SRH’s bowling combination. The experienced pacer has been a consistent performer in the IPL, picking up 79 wickets in 72 matches overall. In his recent stint with Hyderabad, he claimed 34 wickets in 30 matches, underlining his value with the ball. If he misses out, one of Ehsan Malinga or Brydon Carse is likely to slot into the playing XI.

🚨 CAPTAIN ISHAN KISHAN FOR SRH 🚨

– Ishan Kishan is the front runner to be Captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad as there is no clarity on Pat Cummins. [Pratyush Raj] pic.twitter.com/YpL66263py

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 16, 2026

The Australian skipper last featured in competitive cricket during the 2025–26 Ashes series in December, where he impressed with match-defining spells in Adelaide. However, injury concerns have kept him out since then, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where Australia struggled in his absence.

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For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the early phase of IPL 2026 will now test both their bench strength and leadership depth.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad: Aniket Verma, Travis Head, Smaran Ravichandran, Pat Cummins, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Omkar Tarmale, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Shivam Mavi, Harshal Patel, Kusal Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Brydon Carse, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Jack Edwards, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora