End Of SRH Captaincy For Pat Cummins? Harbhajan Singh's Ishan Kishan Remark Stirs Debate
Under Ishan Kishan's captaincy, SRH have secured four victories from seven matches, with their latest win coming against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Hyderabad.
After former India coach Sanjay Bangar praised Ishan Kishan and backed him to continue leading Sunrisers Hyderabad even after the return of Australia pacer Pat Cummins, former spinner Harbhajan Singh has echoed similar sentiments. Under Kishan's captaincy, SRH have secured four victories from seven matches, with their latest win coming against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Cummins-who missed the start of IPL 2026 due to a lower back injury-has rejoined the squad and is expected to feature in SRH's upcoming clash against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday.
Speaking on JioHotstar's Champions Waali Commentary, Harbhajan explained why Sunrisers Hyderabad should persist with Kishan as captain despite Cummins' return.
"Ishan Kishan should continue as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain even if Pat Cummins returns. It is a debatable call, but if the team has backed a young leader, they should stick with him. Cummins helped Hyderabad reach the final in 2024, no doubt. But the side is doing well under Kishan's leadership. The bowlers and other players have built good coordination with him. Keeping Ishan as captain will benefit Sunrisers Hyderabad," Harbhajan told JioHotstar.
Before Harbhajan's comments, Bangar had also thrown his weight behind Kishan, highlighting his tactical awareness and composure while leading the side this season.
"Ishan Kishan as a leader is tactically very good in terms of how he uses his bowlers. He understands which bowlers to use against which batters. It is a clear marker of how well he controls the game. He doesn't look flustered, isn't hurried, and is taking the right calls on the field," Bangar, the former India batting coach, said on Star Sports.
SRH endured a shaky start to the season under Kishan's leadership, suffering a defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their opening match. However, they bounced back with a 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before enduring back-to-back losses against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
After managing just one win from their first four matches, Sunrisers Hyderabad staged a strong comeback, registering three consecutive victories against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Delhi Capitals (DC). The winning streak has propelled SRH to third place on the points table, with a positive net run rate of +0.820.
(With agency inputs)
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Delhi Capitals
Harbhajan Singh
Pat Cummins