Australia’s star cricketer Pat Cummins will continue to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the third consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The franchise confirmed his captaincy on Monday through a post on its official X handle. Although the announcement featured only photos of Cummins without a formal statement, the message was clear—SRH is sticking with their trusted leader for IPL 2026.
Cummins is currently nursing a back injury and has been ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth. However, he is expected to regain fitness in time for the second Test in Brisbane beginning December 4. In his absence, Steven Smith will captain Australia in the series opener against England on November 21.
Despite the temporary setback, Sunrisers Hyderabad have expressed complete confidence in Cummins, reaffirming his pivotal place in their long-term vision.
The 31-year-old took over SRH’s leadership in 2024 after the franchise secured him for a massive ₹20.50 crore at the IPL auction—one of the highest bids in tournament history at the time. His appointment followed Australia’s stellar run in international cricket, which included winning the World Test Championship and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Before joining Hyderabad, Cummins had stints with the Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals.
As the franchise unveiled its squad for IPL 2026, SRH retained the core that powered their resurgence in recent years. The explosive opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head continues to remain the engine of their batting unit. Their aggressive starts were crucial during SRH’s memorable IPL 2024 campaign, where they finished as runners-up.
In a major roster shake-up, Sunrisers traded veteran pacer Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants and released key spinners Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar. The restructuring suggests a strategic attempt to rebuild and rebalance their bowling attack around Cummins’ strengths following a disappointing IPL 2025 season, where SRH failed to qualify for the playoffs. They finished sixth with six wins, seven losses, and one no-result in 14 matches.
With Cummins once again at the helm, SRH hopes to regain momentum and mount a strong challenge in the upcoming 2026 season.