Sunrisers Hyderabad Suffer Setback as Cummins Withdraws Unexpectedly

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who were riding high after their victory against Kolkata, have suffered an unexpected setback. The team’s regular captain Pat Cummins has left the IPL tournament midway and returned to Australia. Cummins had earlier missed the first two matches of the season due to a back injury. After recovering from the injury, he returned to India and even began practice in the nets. However, he has not yet been granted clearance by Cricket Australia (CA) to resume competitive play.

Reports suggest that Cummins has now travelled back to Australia to obtain final clearance. He will undergo a scan under the supervision of Cricket Australia. If the scan confirms that his injury has fully healed, he is likely to receive permission to participate in the IPL. Cummins is expected to rejoin the squad around April 17, which means he is likely to miss the first five matches of the tournament.

In Cummins’ absence, Sunrisers Hyderabad have appointed young Indian batter Ishan Kishan as the stand-in captain. Under his leadership, SRH began the season with a defeat, losing their opening match to RCB. However, the team bounced back strongly with a convincing win against Kolkata Knight Riders in their second game. SRH will next face Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, in their upcoming fixture.