Both teams, the Punjab Kings and the SunRisers Hyderabad, meet each other in the reverse fixture at the Indian Premier League 2026 season on May 6, Wednesday. As the teams battle for supremacy at the top of the table at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the injury clouds surrounding Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shashank Singh appear to be clearing just in time. The return of these middle-order anchors is expected to be the X-factor in today’s match. Are they playing today?Â
Nitish Kumar Reddy – Playing TodayÂ
Sunrisers Hyderabad received a major boost on the eve of the match with news that young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to return to the playing XI. Reddy was a big miss in SRH’s recent heavy defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders, where his absence due to a sudden illness forced a late shuffle that left the middle order exposed.Â
Speaking ahead of the clash, SRH head coach Daniel Vettori confirmed that Reddy has recovered well and participated in final training sessions. Vettori stated that the all-rounder was feeling “a lot better” and that the team does not foresee any situation where he would miss tonight’s game. With his improved bowling speeds and ability to anchor the innings, Reddy’s return likely means Smaran Ravichandran will move back to the bench, allowing Pat Cummins to field his most balanced side for this crucial home fixture.
Shashank Singh – Not Playing TodayÂ
In the Punjab Kings camp, the status of veteran finisher Shashank Singh remains the primary concern for the team management. Shashank has been sidelined for the last two matches due to a hamstring injury sustained during the encounter against the Delhi Capitals. His absence has coincided with a slight dip in Punjab’s scoring momentum at the death.
While assistant coach Brad Haddin shared an optimistic update, he stopped short of guaranteeing Shashank’s selection. Haddin noted that while the recovery has been positive and the batter would have a final fitness assessment, the decision remains contingent on ensuring there is no risk of re-injury. However, most likely he is not playing today.Â
SRH vs PBKS Probable Playing XIs:
SunRisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins(c), Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh(wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak
