Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan argued that SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins would be missing the six initial IPL 2026 matches as he still recovers a long-lasting back issue. The 19th edition of the tournament will begin later in this week on March 28.
In a video discussing his YouTube channel on Monday, March 23, the 41-year-old stated that SRH will lose significantly without Cummins in the locker room because young players often resort to more veteran teammates to seek advice when pressure is involved. He said:
“His absence will definitely impact how the game is managed. When a young player comes under pressure, they tend to look towards a senior player for guidance. Not having him regularly in the dressing room at the start will also be difficult for Hyderabad. So, from that perspective, his absence will certainly be felt.”
Pathan added that in addition to Cummins’ potent batting, the team has benefited greatly from his leadership and bowling. Additionally, he acknowledged that the Australian celebrity had instilled hostility in the SRH team, stating:
“Pat Cummins not being there at the start is a big factor. His bowling and his captaincy have always been exceptional, and his leadership is often talked about. Last year, he matched Harshal Patel with 16 wickets. Even before that, he had taken 18 wickets in a season. His batting is also very important. When he comes in around number eight, he can hit big shots, and the aggression that has been instilled in Hyderabad has largely come from Captain Cummins.”
The 32-year-old has taken 34 wickets in 30 IPL matches for SRH. He also guided the side to the 2024 final, where they were defeated by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
“Giving him the captaincy makes sense” – Irfan Pathan on SRH’s appointment of Ishan Kishan as skipper in absence of Pat Cummins
In the same video, Irfan Pathan praised SRH to have chosen Ishan Kishan to lead the team with the absence of Pat Cummins, and noted that, the left-hander has been improving his form in the meantime. Having a total of three fifties in 317 runs in 9 innings, Kishan won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy of 20252026 in Jharkhand and played a key role in India winning the 2026 T20 world cup. Pathan stated:
“This time, due to the absence of Pat Cummins, you’ll get to see Ishan Kishan as the captain. Ishan Kishan’s graph is on an upward trajectory. While playing for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led the team as captain and lifted the trophy. Now, the responsibility will be on him.
“We also saw in the World Cup that he delivered outstanding batting performances. When a player has that kind of confidence, giving him the captaincy makes sense. There were also discussions that Abhishek Sharma could be made captain. He has been appointed as vice-captain by Hyderabad, but it is better to go with Ishan Kishan,” he added.
In 119 IPL matches, the 27-year-old has amassed 2,998 runs at a strike rate of 137.64 and an average of 29.10, with 17 fifties and one century.
