Why SRH turned to Ishan Kishan for captaincy: Vettori explains call amid Pat Cummins’ absence

Daniel Vettori expressed strong backing for Kishan’s leadership, highlighting his experience and his combination with Abhishek Sharma.

Updated on: Mar 27, 2026, 21:52:12 IST

Written by Aditya Maheshwari

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Ishan Kishan has been handed the responsibility of leading Sunrisers Hyderabad for the early part of the IPL season, with regular captain Pat Cummins set to miss the opening phase. The wicketkeeper-batter has already shown his leadership ability in domestic cricket, guiding Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title last season. His recent return to the Indian side has also been impressive, where he played a key role during the T20 World Cup campaign. With both form and confidence on his side, Kishan now has an opportunity to make a strong impact as a leader at the IPL level.

Ishan Kishan will be leading SRH in Pat Cummins' absence. (BCCI Image)

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori expressed strong backing for Kishan’s leadership, highlighting his experience and his combination with Abhishek Sharma, his new deputy in the new leadership group.

"I think Ishan's been around in the IPL for a long period of time now. He's been with a number of teams and he's been highly successful, so, he brings in his own confidence around that," Vettori said in the pre-match press meet here on Friday.

"The fact that he's led the U19s and his state team and they won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year brings a confident person, a confident player and a really confident leader and those are the attributes that we really looked at when he was appointed. His combination with Abhishek, they're good friends, they know the team exceptionally well and I really feel like those two will lead from the front this season," he added.

Kishan joined SRH last season, but the franchise had invested INR 11.25 crore in him. His first campaign was a mixed one, as he managed 354 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 152.58, with a century and a half-century highlighting his performances.

“Ishan Kishan brought energy to SRH last season”

Vettori further explained the reasoning behind Kishan’s elevation to a leadership role, pointing to his impact within the group last season and his impressive domestic captaincy record.

"I think he started last year where he was added a senior player to the group and the leadership that he exuded throughout that first season, particularly in the back half when he took over the wicketkeeping, it really brought energy to the group and set up our back half of the year and we were pretty successful in that period. So when Pat (Cummins) was unfortunately out of the initial stage of the tournament, we had some decisions to make and his (Kishan's) experience with his state team in particular had been so impressive and then he was in really good form. So, between Abhishek and himself, we feel like we've got a really good leadership group to lead us this year," Vettori said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Maheshwari
Aditya Maheshwari is a Chief Content Producer and sports journalist with over seven years of experience covering the sports beat across formats and platforms. A cricket-first reporter by profession, he also follows football closely and considers it an integral part of his sporting journey. His work is shaped by a strong on-ground understanding of the game and an ability to translate match-day moments into clear, engaging stories that connect with readers across digital audiences. Over the years, he has developed a balanced approach that combines factual accuracy with narrative clarity, ensuring that both breaking developments and deeper insights are presented with context. Aditya has reported from the field at several major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League, and the Indian Super League. First-hand coverage of these events has strengthened his ability to read the pulse of high-pressure contests, whether through live reporting, post-match analysis, or long-form storytelling. Working closely around teams, venues, and evolving storylines has helped him develop a strong sense of timing and editorial judgment. While cricket remains his primary focus, Aditya regularly reports on football and keeps a close watch on other sports such as tennis, hockey, and badminton. His wide-ranging interest allows him to approach stories with broader perspective, understanding how different sporting ecosystems function and evolve. Comfortable in fast-paced digital newsrooms, Aditya is well-versed in modern sports coverage, from live blogs and real-time updates to in-depth analysis and audience-focused storytelling. He believes in keeping sports writing simple, accurate, and grounded, with emphasis on clarity over complexity. At the core of his work lies a commitment to credible reporting and telling stories that go beyond the numbers on the scoreboard, highlighting the people, preparation, and pressure behind every performance.Read More

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