Zaheer Khan Critiques Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Leadership Under Ishan Kishan
Zaheer Khan has expressed his concerns over the leadership of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s interim captain, Ishan Kishan. He believes that the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins is significantly impacting the team’s performance. According to Zaheer, SRH lacks clear direction and control, which Kishan has struggled to provide.
Cummins is expected to be unavailable for the remainder of the IPL 2026 season due to workload management. In his absence, the franchise has appointed Kishan as the temporary captain, with Abhishek Sharma serving as his vice-captain. Unfortunately, SRH’s results have not been promising, with the team managing just one win in four matches. This underwhelming performance has led many, including Zaheer, to question Kishan’s leadership abilities.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Zaheer emphasized the disorganization in the batting lineup that has surfaced since the loss of their top three batsmen. He pointed out that Cummins’ leadership skills, particularly his ability to communicate a clear strategy, are sorely missed.
Zaheer commented, “It seems like Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, or possibly Ishan Kishan, were expected to bat in a specific manner. However, there is a lack of clarity and control regarding the batting order. Cummins would have been able to convey a solid plan, but the temporary captain hasn’t managed to fill that gap.”
Lack of Tactical Clarity
Furthermore, Zaheer highlighted issues with SRH’s tactical decisions, particularly concerning their choice of substitutes during a match against Punjab Kings. He noted that Praful Hinge was initially named as an impact substitute but was later replaced by Jaydev Unadkat, showing signs of confusion.
“There was some initial clarity when Ishan Kishan announced Praful Hinge as our impact sub. However, that clarity seemed to vanish during the game, especially after discussions emerged about the pitch conditions. They might have felt they needed a bowler who could bowl various deliveries,” Zaheer explained.
He continued, “I’m just guessing from the outside, but it appeared that if that was the plan, it wasn’t executed in the game. The pitch wasn’t overly challenging, so the team’s approach and intention raise questions.”
As the Sunrisers Hyderabad look to turn their season around, they will face the Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on April 13.
Stay tuned for more updates on IPL 2026!
