IPL 2026 Live Cricket Score, RCB vs SRH Live Score Online Today Match: RCB aims for their second consecutive title, while SRH will miss skipper Pat Cummins for the early fixtures of the season.
Head coach Daniel Vettori mentioned on Friday that the Sunrisers Hyderabad management had no reservations in appointing Ishan Kishan as the stand-in captain, as he has demonstrated himself to be a “confident player and leader.” Regular captain Pat Cummins will be sidelined at the start of IPL 2026 due to a back injury.
“I believe Ishan has been part of the IPL for quite some time now. He has played for several teams and has found significant success, which brings his own level of confidence,” Vettori said during the pre-match press conference on Friday.
“His leadership experience with the U19s and his state team, along with winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year, establishes him as a confident individual, a strong player, and an effective leader—qualities that factored greatly into his appointment.
“His rapport with Abhishek is also notable; they are good friends and understand the team dynamics exceptionally well. I genuinely believe they will lead from the front this season,” he added.
This also marks a rare instance where every team in the IPL begins the season with Indian captains.
More than just the novelty, Vettori noted, Kishan’s evolution as a leader and cricketer in recent years has equipped SRH with an additional asset.
“I think he started last season by taking on a senior role within the group. His leadership, especially during the latter half when he stepped up as wicketkeeper, injected energy into the team and contributed to our success during that time.
“So with Pat (Cummins) out at the tournament’s start, we made some decisions based on Kishan’s impressive state team experience and his current form. We feel confident in our leadership group, consisting of him and Abhishek, for this season,” Vettori stated.
The New Zealander indicated that Cummins might return to captain the side within the next two weeks.
“His fitness has improved remarkably; having been absent from the game for an extended duration has allowed him to focus on conditioning. The only concern was managing his bowling loads.
“Once he received clearance from Cricket Australia to gradually build those loads, it became a meticulous process to ensure he feels strong and confident while bowling. We hope to establish a definitive timeline for his return in about 10-12 days,” he added.
However, Vettori emphasized that they have adequate substitutes for Cummins as both captain and bowler.
“Losing such a pivotal player as your captain and leading fast bowler presents challenges, but I believe we have capable replacements. I know Ishan is incredibly enthusiastic about leading the team, and we can lean on Pat until he is fit to play.” The SRH top-order batting lineup poses a considerable threat to opposing bowlers, but Vettori pointed out that adapting to challenging pitches will be crucial for the group during IPL 2026.
The top four batsmen—Abhishek, Travis Head, Ishan, and Heinrich Klaasen—can comfortably maintain a scoring rate exceeding 10 runs per over. “We are aware that we are an aggressive team with deep batting depth, and all players are eager to take the initiative, especially on favorable pitches where this batting lineup is formidable,” Vettori mentioned.
“But the real challenge this year will be how we adapt on tougher surfaces, how we assess those conditions. This has been a topic of discussion among all batting groups regarding how to handle such situations,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
