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With IPL 2026 just eleven days away, the tournament is already grappling with a fitness crisis that threatens to reshape the opening weeks of the season. A cluster of high-profile overseas players led by Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Josh Hazlewood and Sunrisers Hyderabad's Pat Cummins are in a race against time.

For months, the silence was deafening. Sanju Samson had said nothing publicly about his departure from Rajasthan Royals, the franchise where he spent the better part of 11 IPL seasons, led them to the 2022 final, and became, by common consent, the face of the team. Speaking to the media.

Sources close to the SRH franchise indicate that wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has emerged as the preferred choice to take on the captaincy at least on an interim basis as SRH prepare for their season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28.

With the victory in the third ODI, Bangladesh sealed the three-match series 2–1, completing a notable series win over Pakistan on home soil.