Pat Cummins OUT, India's T20 WC Star Becomes New SRH Captain

The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days away as the richest cricket league in the world is set to kick off on March 28 with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

However, just ahead of the upcoming season, SRH have suffered a huge blow as their captain Pat Cummins is to miss the first few matches of the league. Sunrisers Hyderabad have decided to opt for an Indian star to lead the team for the upcoming IPL season.

Pat Cummins to Miss Initial IPL 2026 matches

SRH captain and Australia's veteran pacer Pat Cummins is likely to miss the first few matches of the IPL in the upcoming season. The star pacer has been out of action for a long time after sustaining an injury.

Cummins also missed Australia's ICC T20 World Cup campaign as the team suffered a humiliating exit from the first round of the tournament. Pat Cummins IPL 2026 comeback is yet to be determined later after considering the nature of his injury.

It will be a big miss for the Sunrisers as they were looking forward to Cummins joining the team soon. The Australian is arguably one of the best captains in the world currently and has won two ICC titles already. In his captaincy, SRH made it to the IPL 2024 final, where they lost to KKR.

Abhishek Sharma Becomes SRH Captain

Instead of going for the experienced Travis Head, India's T20 World Cup star Abhishek Sharma has been appointed new SRH captain in Cummins' absence. Abhishek was recently seen leading his domestic side, Punjab, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Abhishek Sharma captain of SRH would also open doors for the star all-rounder to give himself more bowling opportunities. He hasn't had much to do with the ball, especially because of the Impact Player Rule.

However, apart from that, he doesn't have much experience in leading a team. Abhishek Sharma IPL captain appointment is a big moment in his career and he would be looking to make full use of this opportunity.

India's star opener Abhishek Sharma is currently the best T20 batsman in the world. The left-handed batter has also shown his aggressive batting display whenever he enters the ground. However, his recent outings in the T20 World Cup 2026 weren't up to the mark.

Abhishek played eight matches in the tournament and managed to score only 141 runs, including two half-centuries. However, his 55-run knock in the final against New Zealand proved to be a vital contribution as the Men in Blue lifted their third T20 World Cup title.