SRH captaincy vs Abhishek's ambitions: franchise keeps Kishan, star wants out

Sunrisers Hyderabad have decided to retain Ishan Kishan as captain for the 2027 IPL season despite Pat Cummins' likely unavailability due to a packed international calendar. The franchise's decision has left opener Abhishek Sharma unhappy, with reports indicating he wants to explore a move to another team as early as next season.

Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings have made informal contact with Abhishek and SRH regarding a potential transfer, though nothing substantial has materialised. SRH CEO K Shanmugam denied the reports as "not true," but industry sources say Abhishek is willing to leave even if it means settling for a non-captaincy role elsewhere.

The situation has been tense since SRH handed Kishan the captaincy last season when Cummins was unavailable. Abhishek has been with the franchise since 2019 and had captaincy ambitions, but the lack of opportunities has prompted him to consider his options ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.