Sunrisers Hyderabad has confirmed that Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins will return as captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. This marks his third consecutive year leading the franchise. The announcement was made on Monday via a post on the team’s official social media channel, showcasing images of the star player. Despite currently recovering from a back injury that has ruled him out of the initial Ashes Test, SRH is demonstrating unwavering confidence in Cummins’ leadership abilities. He is anticipated to be fit for the second Ashes Test later in December. Cummins was a significant acquisition for SRH in 2024, bought for a substantial ₹20.50 crore. His leadership has been pivotal, especially following Australia’s successful campaigns under his command. The franchise is also retaining key players like Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, whose explosive opening partnerships were crucial to SRH reaching the IPL 2024 final. However, significant changes have been made to the bowling attack, with Mohammed Shami traded and spinners Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar released, indicating a strategic shift to better support Cummins’ vision and improve squad depth after a disappointing IPL 2025 season where they finished sixth.
