Australia’s Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has suggested his comeback in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s upcoming IPL 2026 game against the Rajasthan Royals. In three images shared by Cummins on his Instagram on Friday (April 24), he can be spotted practicing bowling in the nets, providing the much-needed boost to the franchise.. In the caption of the currently viral post, the 32-year-old fast bowler expressed his eagerness to return to it (action) tomorrow (on Saturday, April 25).
“Been a long time coming, stinging to get back into it tomorrow,” Cummins captioned the post.
A look at his Instagram post:
Cummins, who was retained for a staggering 18 crore by the 2016 IPL champions before the IPL 2025 mega auction, last participated in a competitive cricket match in December 2025 and captained Australia to victory against England in the third Ashes Test. He was named in Australia’s initial T20 World Cup 2026 roster but was subsequently excluded from the 20-team event in India and Sri Lanka because of fitness concerns. The identical fitness-related problems also postponed his return to the IPL.
With Cummins unavailable, star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan captained SRH in the first seven matches of the current IPL 2026 season, achieving four victories.
It will be fascinating to observe whether Cummins resumes his role as SRH captain on Saturday against Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur or competes under Ishan’s guidance.
Ishan Kishan Should Stay As Captain: Bangar
A few days ago, ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar commended Ishan’s captaincy in IPL 2026 and mentioned that the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand ought to remain SRH captain upon Cummins’ return.
“Ishan Kishan as a leader is tactically very good in terms of how he uses his bowlers. He understands which bowlers to use against which batters. It is a clear marker of how well he controls the game. He doesn’t look flustered, is not hurried, and is taking the right calls on the field,” Bangar said on JioHotstar.
“The way he used his spinners against DC was impressive. All in all, I believe that even if Pat Cummins comes back, Ishan should continue captaining SRH. More often than not, having an Indian captain brings consistency,” he added.
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
