Abhishek Sharma's exit vs SRH's retention strategy: what's at stake

Abhishek Sharma is reportedly unhappy with Sunrisers Hyderabad after the franchise handed the captaincy to Ishan Kishan during Pat Cummins' unavailability. The left-handed opener has been with SRH since 2019 and had captaincy ambitions of his own. Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings have made informal contact with the player and the franchise.

SRH CEO K Shanmugam denied the reports, but sources close to the situation say Abhishek is willing to leave even for a non-captaincy role. The 26-year-old scored over 550 runs for SRH in IPL 2026 and played a key role in their playoff qualification.

The situation is complicated by limited captaincy opportunities across franchises. Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants are two teams that could offer leadership roles, but most other sides appear settled. A cash deal or player trade would be required if both parties agree to part ways.