There has been a small, positive twist in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)’s preparations for IPL 2026. According to Cricbuzz, team captain Pat Cummins will reach Bengaluru on March 24, days before their
opening clash.
SRH had earlier confirmed that the Australian pacer would miss the first few games in the season due to fitness issues. Now, he’ll have at least three full days with the team before their campaign opener against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
However, the report also said that stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan will represent SRH at the IPL captains’ meeting in Mumbai on March 25. The meeting, involving all 10 team captains, will include a photo session at noon, followed by a detailed interaction with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and broadcasters, running from 4:30 pm to 6 pm.
Cummins and his two compatriot pacers, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, were not expected to arrive in India for a few days, considering all have been confirmed to miss the first few matches of the season. Cricket Australia (CA) seemingly wants to manage the trio’s workload for the long, packed international season ahead.
Delhi Capitals even said that Starc had not been granted the mandatory No-objection certificate by CA. Cummins’s early arrival suggests that he might be ready to start earlier than expected.
Eshan Malinga set to join SRH
Meanwhile, in another piece of good news for the Orange Army, Sri Lanka Cricket has granted clearance to Eshan Malinga to participate in the tournament. The 25-year-old pacer is set to link up with the SRH squad on March 24, travelling alongside compatriot Kamindu Mendis, who has already secured his No Objection Certificate (NOC).
However, uncertainty remains over the availability of several other Sri Lankan players. Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana are yet to complete mandatory fitness assessments, delaying their departure to India.
