Pat Cummins’ back injury could become a big concern for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The Australian fast bowler, who led them to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final, has been struggling with a lumbar bone stress issue since July 2025. The injury has already ruled him out of the white ball series, and his participation in the next Ashes is also uncertain. Scans done in October showed that the recovery is slow. Although SRH are still supporting their captain and not panicking, but they might think about backup options.
It may not look like a major issue right now, but it could soon become one for SRH. There’s a real chance that Cricket Australia might stop Cummins from playing in the IPL to help him recover and manage his workload, especially with a packed international schedule ahead. We have seen similar cases in the past with players like Mitchell Starc and other Australian cricketers who have chosen international duty over the IPL. If Cummins’ injury remains serious and Australia decides to rest him, he could miss the IPL 2026 season. That would leave SRH searching for a new captain. Let’s take a look at three captaincy options that SRH might look for.
Travis Head could be one of the main options for Sunrisers Hyderabad if Pat Cummins is unavailable for IPL 2026. He is expected to be among the players retained before the auction. Head serves as Australia’s vice-captain in Test matches whenever Cummins is not available, with Steve Smith leading the side. Given his experience and seniority in the SRH setup, he could naturally be seen as a strong candidate to lead the team.
Head has been one of SRH’s most reliable batters. He scored 567 runs in 15 matches in IPL 2024 and followed it up with 374 runs in 13 matches in the 2025 season.
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Heinrich Klaasen was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s most expensive retention for the IPL 2025 season, earning a massive INR 23 crore deal. He is also one of the players likely to be retained ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Having retired from international cricket to focus on franchise leagues, he remains fully committed to performing in T20 competitions around the world.
Klaasen was SRH’s highest run-scorer in IPL 2025, making 487 runs in 13 matches. In the 2024 season, he scored 479 runs in 16 innings. With his experience, he could be a good captaincy option for SRH if Pat Cummins is unavailable. Klaasen has also led the Seattle Orcas in 2024 and captained South Africa in a few T20I matches.
Venkatesh Iyer could be one of the players SRH target in the IPL 2026 auction. He was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the 2025 auction but was bought back for INR 23.75 crore. However, he did not had a good season with the bat, scoring only 142 runs in 11 matches, which could make KKR release him again.
SRH could look to sign him as he brings both experience and leadership qualities. Iyer was KKR’s vice-captain in IPL 2025 and has also mentioned in an interview that he is ready to take on captaincy if given the chance. Signing him could also strengthen SRH’s top order, especially at the No.3 position, where Ishan Kishan struggled last season.
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