Harbhajan backs Ishan Kishan to continue as SRH captain

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised Ishan Kishan’s captaincy for Sunrisers Hyderabad and believes the franchise should continue backing the young wicketkeeper-batter as leader, even with Pat Cummins set to return to the side.

Sunrisers Hyderabad recorded their third straight win in IPL 2026 with a convincing 47-run victory over Delhi Capitals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The result further strengthened their position in the points table and highlighted their recent turnaround under Kishan’s leadership.

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The win was set up by a brilliant, career-best century from Abhishek Sharma, who powered SRH to a commanding 242 for 2. The bowlers then delivered a disciplined performance, with Eshan Malinga leading the attack as they restricted Delhi Capitals to 195 for 9 to seal a comprehensive victory.

Sharing his views on SRH’s leadership, Harbhajan said the team has developed a strong understanding under Kishan, and continuity would help maintain that momentum. “Ishan Kishan should continue as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain even if Pat Cummins returns. It is a debatable call, but if the team has backed a young leader, they should stick with him. Cummins helped Hyderabad reach the final in 2024, no doubt. But the side is doing well under Kishan’s leadership. The bowlers and other players have built good coordination with him. Keeping Ishan as captain will benefit Sunrisers Hyderabad,” Harbhajan told Jio Hotstar.

Kishan had taken over as stand-in captain at the start of the season, with regular skipper Cummins expected to miss the initial matches due to a back injury. The Australian all-rounder has now been declared fit and is likely to return for SRH’s upcoming match against Rajasthan Royals on April 25.

SRH’s campaign under Kishan began on a difficult note with a loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They responded with a strong win over Kolkata Knight Riders but then slipped again, suffering back-to-back defeats against Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings.

However, after managing just one win in their first four matches, SRH have turned things around impressively. They have now registered three consecutive victories against Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, climbing to third place in the standings. The team also holds a healthy net run rate of +0.820, reflecting their dominant performances during this phase.