A significant development that has given Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) a significant boost is the imminent arrival of its captain and the best fast bowler, Pat Cummins, in the team earlier than expected, ahead of IPL 2026. First, the franchise was ready to start their campaign without their leader, and they even made a stand-in captain, Ishan Kishan, with Abhishek Sharma as his deputy captain. Training was already underway in the absence of Cummins, and the team assumed that he would not be able to attend at least the initial part of the tournament.

Unexpectedly, Pat Cummins will now likely join the team on March 24, only days before the SRH faces off with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 28. The team is expected to reach Bengaluru on the same day, and then Cummins will join the team, according to reports. His early arrival has been a shock, more so when considering the previous proposals by Cricket Australia that he, together with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, would skip the first matches as part of the workload management.

SRH captaincy conundrum ahead of opener

The question that arises as a result of Cummins being around is whether SRH will have someone to lead them in their opening match. Cummins is the probable individual to assume the leadership in case he is fully fit, considering his height and position as the appointed captain. Nevertheless, the matter is not as clear. The team is also supposed to hold a captain's meeting on March 25 in Mumbai, and the stand-in skipper, Ishan Kishan, will report at the IPL captains' meeting despite the absence of Cummins.

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This is a traditional pre-season group meeting with all ten captains and head coaches, which will be held by the Board of Control in Cricket in India (BCCI). The event will also entail a captain's photoshoot at noon and a thorough meeting with the BCCI officials later on in the day to discuss any new rules and regulations of the IPL 2026. There will also be broadcasters who will be present at these proceedings.

The comeback of Cummins is especially remarkable considering the recent issues with injuries. The Australian captain has been experiencing lumbar stress in his back most of 2025, which has seen him miss a major part of the Ashes series against England and also the T20 World Cup 2026. His involvement in the IPL had been shrouded in suspicion because Australia is planning an intense schedule of Tests during the next two-year period.

At this point, as Cummins comes 4 days prior to the first game of SRH, the franchise is in a curious situation. On the one hand, his presence adds a mighty bowling attack to their team; on the other hand, it introduces a leadership predicament in the few days before the season started.