A storm of social media speculation has taken over this season of the IPL 2026 after news that Ishan Kishan will captain Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) when Pat Cummins is absent was shared. The news that Indian legend Yuvraj Singh is “furious” with franchise owner Kavya Maran has been spreading rapidly, along with the news that the captain’s protege, Abhishek Sharma, has been made deputy rather than leader.Â
As the “Orange Army” is going through a leadership crisis with Cummins sidelined due to a back injury, the attention has moved from the ground to the dugout. Fans are wondering if there is a fallout between the World Cup hero and the SRH management over the young Punjab opener’s perceived omission.
Is Yuvraj Singh Really Angry With Kavya Maran?
The claim that Yuvraj Singh “lambasted” Kavya Maran and the SRH management started spreading when a viral post hinted that Yuvraj considered Abhishek Sharma to have been “cheated” out of the captaincy. Supporters of this theory highlight Yuvraj’s consistent support of Abhishek, whom he has been training since the kid was little in Punjab.Â
🚨 YUVRAJ SINGH IS NOT HAPPY WITH SRH MANAGEMENT:
Abhishek Sharma has been playing for the SRH for the last 7 years and has been performing well for them. He is also captaining at the state level, but he still didn’t get the captaincy of SRH. pic.twitter.com/YDQmRDTomi
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) April 2, 2026
Opponents of the choice argue that Abhishek, who made a record-breaking century in the 2026 T20 World Cup, has more “franchise equity” than Ishan Kishan, a newer member of the team. Nevertheless, a thorough search shows that there is no interview or public tweet from Yuvraj Singh that confirms a personal disagreement with Maran over this particular tactical move.
Why SRH Chose Ishan Kishan Over Abhishek Sharma
The Sunrisers Hyderabad think tank, led by Head Coach Daniel Vettori, reportedly prioritised “IPL leadership experience” when filling the void left by Pat Cummins. While Abhishek Sharma is undoubtedly the face of the SRH batting future, Ishan Kishan has previously captained at the India U-19 level and held informal leadership roles with his previous franchises.
Internal sources suggest that Kavya Maran and the management wanted to shield Abhishek from the immense pressure of captaincy to ensure his explosive batting remains unaffected. By naming him vice captain, the franchise believes they are grooming him for a permanent role in the future rather than a “stopgap” interim solution.
