Pat Cummins set to join Sunrisers Hyderabad before IPL 2026 opener

IPL 2016 champions SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have got great news regarding their skipper Pat Cummins, while the IPL 2026 is less than five days away from beginning.

While the IPL 2026 is set to begin, SRH are expected to find it tougher to start the new season without their strong captain Pat Cummins. Due to fitness issues, which also forced him to miss the entire ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2026, Cummins is expected to miss some early matches of the upcoming IPL season. However, there was no clarification on when we can see him in the IPL 2026.

According to the latest Cricbuzz report, Australian captain Pat Cummins is set to land in India on March 24. So, the SRH captain is set to join the team before the beginning of the 19th season of the IPL, which will begin on March 28. However, the Australian right-arm fast bowler is set to miss the first few games of the tournament.

See Also: Sri Lankan T20 World Cup injured bowler gets NOC for Indian Premier League 2026

Ishan Kishan to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in opening IPL 2026 matches

Ishan Kishan is set to lead SRH in the first few matches of the IPL 2026 until Cummins returns to the playing XI. Ishan will also present at the captains' meeting of the new IPL season, which will be organised in Mumbai on March 25.  

Why Pat Cummins’ return boosts Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign

Pat Cummins is the only foreign captain among the ten teams for the IPL 2026. Cummins led the team last two seasons, while SRH dominated the 2024 edition, where they finished as the runners-up, but impressed many cricket fans with their aggressive batting style. 

In the last season, SRH finished in sixth position, where they had a poor start, recording only three wins in the first ten games. Although they were unbeaten in the last four fixtures, they were too late to make any strong impact on the points table.  

The SRH franchise has kept its faith in the leadership of Cummins for the IPL 2026. Once he gets fit, he will return to the on-field leadership charge. Meanwhile, his early joining the team also shows that the Australian is ready to take the leadership responsibility early in the season, even though he is yet to be fit for a match. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad full schedule for IPL 2026 season

SRH will play the IPL 2026 season opener, as their first four matches' schedules have been revealed. 

• March 28: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs SunRisers Hyderabad (Bengaluru) - 19:30 IST
• April 2: Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad (Kolkata) - 19:30 IST
• April 5: SunRisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants (Hyderabad) - 15:30 IST
• April 11: Punjab Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad (New Chandigarh) - 15:30 IST