One of the biggest talking points leading up to the start of IPL 2026 was the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s choice of captain in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins. SRH announced Ishan Kishan as the stand-in skipper, snubbing Abhishek Sharma and the decision did not go down well with a section of the fans and even cricket experts. Now, former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek’s mentor, has stated that it is disappointing for any player who has given his ‘heart and soul’ to the franchise ‘ for years’ to have missed out on leading the side. “It is disappointing. I love Ishan Kishan. I have seen his growth as well in Indian cricket, his comeback as well,” Yuvraj Singh said in SportsTak Podcast. “If I give you an example, switch this from a player’s perspective – say if Abhishek Sharma, before the World Cup, came into the team, his state team won, scored a hundred in the final, came into the World Cup team, he scores runs and he is captain of the franchise.
“On the other hand, Ishan Kishan, playing for one franchise for seven years, has performed, given his heart and soul for the franchise and also captains the state side as well, but does not get captaincy; he gets the vice-captaincy. Now what frame of mind he plays franchise cricket with – with a bit of disappointment.” However, Yuvraj Singh opined that this snub is something that Abhishek should take as motivation and they try to do even better than what he is doing currently. “If it happened with me, I have to be clear, ‘listen, this has happened, I am disappointed’. I spoke to Abhishek as well and told him we are going to put that disappointment aside and I will support my captain and I will try and do even better, because something has hurt me, ab aur zor lagaunga, to do better. That should be your motivation,” said Yuvraj. While there has been official communication from SRH on the reason to pick Kishan over Abhishek, but the general feeling is that Ishan, who made a return to the Indian team after two years and has stellar World Cup campaign scoring 317 runs, had led his state side Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – India’s premier domestic T20 tournament – including a century in the final and 517 runs in the tournament to go with – was the ideal choice for the stop-gap arrangement. Further explaining Kishan’s choice as skipper by SRH , Yuvraj looked back at his India career and the time when MS Dhoni was made the India captain in 2007 despite the presence of senior players. “For example, when I was in the Indian team, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag were seniors, I was vice-captain, but from nowhere MS Dhoni comes and becomes captain. Whatever the reasons maybe … franchise cricket will not determine if you will captain India.
Poll
Do you think Ishan Kishan is ready for the captaincy role in IPL?
You look at Shubman Gill; because everyone felt he is most hardworking, most sincere about the game, he thinks about cricket in a different way, and selectors felt this guy should captain India. Maybe same way Dhoni was made captain. And if someone is destined to captain, to do great things for India, that will happen.,” said Yuvraj. Cummins, who led SRH in 2024 and 2025 is recovering from a back injury, and even though he has joined the SRH squad he is still unavailable for selection. The injury had ruled him out of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Australian, though, has given his stamp of approval on Ishan’s elevation, stating, “Ishan had a really successful captaincy stint with his local side in the last year or so..’.