The leadership of Sunrisers Hyderabad could see a temporary change in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League if regular captain Pat Cummins fails to join the squad on time. Reports suggest that the Australian fast bowler is still recovering from a back issue, which may delay his arrival in IPL 2026. The Aussie test captain was in the World Cup squad first but the problem with his back led him to wait to play full-fledged. In the last eight months, Pat Cummins has appeared once for Australia in the Ashes.

Cummins, who led SRH for the last few years and took the team to the finals in 2024. In the last season, SRH’s consistency dipped and affected the performance. This year they have added more muscle power in the house. However, uncertainty around his availability for the opening matches has prompted the team management to evaluate alternate leadership options within the squad. Though, there is not too many captain choices available, a few players are there who have the potential to lead

Here is the list of potential candidates

Ishan Kishan - Among the possible candidates, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has reportedly emerged as the leading choice to take charge if Cummins is unavailable. Kishan brings prior leadership experience, having captained his domestic side and India’s Under-19 team earlier in his career. His energetic presence and familiarity with high-pressure situations are believed to make him a suitable short-term option.

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Abhishek Sharma- His charisma is one of the defining but Sharma has not lead any franchise or state before, while his game is also just coming on the right track, Sunrisers Hyderabad management could think of him, whether it will a safe decision, that can be a question.

Jaydev Unadkat- One of the prominent bowlers of domestic cricket, he led Saurashtra for a long time. Also, It is expected that he will get game time this season. In his captaincy Saurashtra has won Ranji Trophy.

Travis Head- Coming with the experience of BBL captaincy the transition of captaincy to another Aussie can be smooth.

What's the recent update?

While the team management remains hopeful that Cummins will be fit in time, planning for contingencies is common ahead of a demanding tournament like the IPL. The franchise is keen to ensure stability in leadership so that the team can start the campaign strongly, even if their regular captain joins later.

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For now, SRH officials are closely monitoring Cummins’ recovery and travel schedule.