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Harbhajan Backs Ishan Kishan to Stay SRH Captain Despite Cummins Return

Harbhajan Singh has endorsed Ishan Kishan as SRH captain despite Pat Cummins' return. Kishan led SRH to three straight wins after a poor start. Cummins is fit and may play against Rajasthan Royals on April 25. SRH currently holds third place in the IPL 2026 standings.

Key Points: Harbhajan Backs Ishan Kishan as SRH Captain Over Cummins

  • Harbhajan backs Kishan as SRH captain despite Cummins' return
  • SRH won three consecutive matches under Kishan
  • Kishan was stand-in captain due to Cummins' back injury
  • SRH sits third in points table with hat-trick of wins
2 min read

'Team is performing well': Harbhajan backs Kishan to remain SRH captain despite Cummins return

Harbhajan Singh advises SRH to keep Ishan Kishan as captain despite Pat Cummins' return, citing team coordination and recent IPL 2026 wins.

"Ishan Kishan should continue as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain even if Pat Cummins returns. - Harbhajan Singh"

New Delhi, April 22

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has lauded the captaincy skills of Ishan Kishan and advised the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise to continue with the wicketkeeper batter as captain despite the return of Australian spearhead Pat Cummins.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) registered their third consecutive victory of the IPL 2026, overpowering Delhi Capitals (DC) by 47 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.

Riding on a breathtaking, career-best century from Abhishek Sharma, the hosts posted 242 for 2. In response, a disciplined Sunrisers bowling attack, spearheaded by Eshan Malinga, restricted the DC to 195 for 9, securing a dominant win to go third in the standings.

According to Harbhajan, the players have built a great coordination with Kishan, and if the franchise continues their support to the young leader that, then it will benefit the team as a whole.

"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 Jio Hotstar.

Kishan was appointed the stand in captain of SRH ahead of the tournament, as their designated leader, Cummins, was expected to miss the starting matches due to a back injury. But the Australian all-rounder has been declared fit and is likely to feature in the team's next match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 25.

Under Kishan's leadership, SRH had a poor start with a loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The team bounced back with 65 run win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but suffered back to back defeats against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next two matches.

With just one win in four matches, SRH made a strong comeback and registered a hat-trick of wins against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Delhi Capitals (DC) to grab the third spot in the points table with three wins in seven matches. SRH also has a positive net run rate of +0.820.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
I get the sentiment, but Pat Cummins took SRH to the final last year. That's huge. Kishan's done well, but you can't bench a world-class captain like Cummins for good form in a few matches. Bit of a tricky call for the management. 🤔
V
Vikram M
Indian captain leading a franchise with foreign superstars - I love it! Kishan has shown maturity beyond his years. The hat-trick of wins proves the team is buying into his vision. Pat Cummins can always play as a player and learn from Kishan's captaincy. Win-win! 😎👌
J
James A
As an Aussie watching the IPL, this is fascinating. Cummins is a proven leader at the highest level, but the way Kishan has rallied the team after that rough patch is impressive. If SRH makes the playoffs under Kishan, you can't change captain mid-season. Fair call by Bhajji.
S
Sneha F
Honestly, I think we're overthinking this. Kishan has done well, but Cummins is Cummins. Let Pat come back, play as a player, and if Kishan stumbles, hand the reins back. No need to create unnecessary drama. Keep calm and play cricket! 🏏
R
Rohit P
Finally someone backing an Indian captain in a franchise that always looks to overseas stars! Kishan has that spark. Abhishek Sharma is playing like a man possessed under him. Eshan Malinga is a find. Keep the momentum going. Don't disturb the chemistry! 🇮🇳💪

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