In this situation, new faces can be seen in the leadership of the party. According to reports, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan is currently the frontrunner in the captaincy race. His impressive performances and confident batting in the recent T20 World Cup have qualified him for the role. The management of the franchise also feels that Ishan can lead the team successfully in Cummins’ absence.

The main reason for Cummins’ absence is his long-term injury. He has been suffering from back problems since July 2025. Despite playing one match in the Ashes series in December, he did not play again. He was even out of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Cricket Australia is yet to allow him to return to competitive cricket. Although there are alternate captains like Abhishek Sharma in the team, Ishan is still the management’s first choice.

Ishaan Kishan’s leadership experience played an important role in this decision. He led India to the final of the U-19 World Cup and captained the Jharkhand team in many matches in domestic cricket. Under his captaincy, Jharkhand won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the first time. His win rate in T20 format is also quite good. So if he leads Hyderabad in IPL 2026, it will not be unexpected at all.