IPL 2026: Why SRH chose Ishan Kishan over Abhishek Sharma as captain

NEW DELHI: “Tera ek mahina form gaya tha, main do saal bahar raha hoon (You were out of form for a month; I was out of the team for two years).” These were the words of Ishan Kishan as he interrupted Abhishek Sharma, who was answering a question about struggles, in the mixed zone after India’s T20 World Cup title triumph in Ahmedabad.

It was indeed a fun banter, but beneath those words, one could sense how deeply Ishan Kishan wanted to return to the Indian team after being unceremoniously dropped in 2023, when he had asked for leave citing mental fatigue. But he has turned it around with his bat, doing all the talking.



It has been a remarkable three and a half months for the 27-year-old, who is now set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming 2026 Indian Premier League in the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins, who is likely to miss the tournament.

The southpaw scored 317 runs during India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign and is currently second in the T20I rankings for batters. Ishan is just behind Abhishek Sharma, whom he has edged out in the race for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s captaincy.

Abhishek Sharma, who has been part of the SRH setup for the past seven seasons, was also in contention for the captaincy. However, the 24-year-old missed out to his India teammate because of Ishan’s proven leadership record. In domestic cricket, Abhishek leads Punjab as well, but Ishan Kishan has been exceptional while leading Jharkhand. He guided Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and also scored 517 runs at an impressive strike rate of 197.32, including a 51-ball hundred in the final against Haryana.

Former India cricketer Shahbaz Nadeem, who has seen Ishan from close quarters since his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 16, describes his statemate as a natural leader.

"He has been captaining for a considerable amount of time now. He led India in the U-19 World Cup and has captained Jharkhand for a while. I think SRH has made a good decision in appointing him as captain. He has all the ingredients of a good leader," Shahbaz Nadeem, now joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, told TimesofIndia.com.

"Captaincy is something that comes naturally. Leaders are born. You cannot make leaders. He has that attitude. I have seen it from close quarters. The way he has led Jharkhand in the last two years is commendable. He has taken the team’s confidence to the next level. Jharkhand has now become a side that opponents fear, and Ishan has been pivotal in making it happen," added Nadeem, one of Jharkhand’s longest-serving players.

Nadeem pointed out two key qualities in Ishan: his ability to connect with youngsters and his sharp reading of the game from behind the stumps.

"He makes all the youngsters comfortable and gives them freedom. It never feels like there is a captain among you. He is just another teammate. He tries to guide youngsters on and off the pitch and has the rare ability to bring the best out of them," he said.

"The other thing is that he is a wicketkeeper. A keeper naturally reads the game better. A captain fielding at mid-on, mid-off or slips often relies on the keeper, as they understand the pitch better and have the best vantage point. While batting, you follow a plan, but captaincy is most crucial while fielding. If your captain is a keeper, it gives you an added advantage," he added.


Nadeem believes Ishan’s domestic grind has played a key role in his comeback to the Indian team and that SRH’s decision to back his leadership will pay off.

"Captaining in domestic cricket is more difficult than in the IPL. In the IPL, you have the best domestic and overseas players, whereas in domestic cricket, the overall quality is more varied. He has been given the SRH captaincy because of his domestic performances, and I am confident he will do well," he said.