Due to the injury sustained during the recent Australia vs South Africa Test Series, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Captain Pat Cummins appears likely to miss the first ten games of IPL 2026, which is going to present a big challenge to SRH.
Pat Cummins Injury Update And Potential Return
Pat Cummins has been recovering from a back injury that he suffered in July 2025. This injury has severely hampered his availability for matches. Since the injury, he has played only a single game, but even that has caused a series of setbacks for the player.
Although Pat Cummins is back in training in India, bowling in the nets, he has admitted that he is not yet ready, as his intensity levels are not yet match-ready. He is currently bowling twice a week.
Official Confirmation: Pat Cummins to Miss Initial Matches
Recently speaking with ESPN Cricinfo during a podcast, Pat Cummins has confirmed that he will be unavailable for the first part of IPL 2026 but remains hopeful to make a return before the end. The Australian Test Pace Bowler has a defined recovery plan and is working towards being fully fit by sometime during the season.
If things go according to plan within the path he has created, then Cummins aims to be back on the field in the later part of the league stage and possibly the playoffs.
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SRH Appoints Interim Captain
With the non-availability of Cummins, the SRH franchise management has already taken a proactive step by appointing Ishan Kishan as the interim captain for the initial phase of the tournament. However, the challenge for the SRH franchise would be to replace the on-field presence and tactical abilities of Cummins.
Training Update from Bengaluru
Cummins has recently arrived in India and trained with the SRH franchise players at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. During the training session, Cummins did light sprints and bowled at low intensity in the nets. Although this is a positive sign for the SRH franchise, it also shows that Cummins is not yet ready for a competitive game.
Impact on International Commitments
The injury has already affected Cummins’ schedule for international cricket on the world stage. Cummins, as captain of Australia, also missed out on playing for Australia at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has been cautious about further injuring himself from an injury rehabilitation perspective.
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Cummins’ early return to play during an important Test series led to his injuries continuing to deteriorate so therefore it is important for Cummins to be careful returning from his injuries.
Can Eshan Malinga Fill the Void?
SRH have included Eshan Malinga in their squad following his clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket. This is a welcome sign for SRH. Malinga was exceptional during the previous IPL season. He took 13 wickets in seven matches. This talent to perform under pressure may help fill the gap left by Cummins in the bowling unit.
Leadership Gap Remains a Concern
Improvements to SRH’s pace attack, made by Malinga, however, will be nothing compared to the challenge of replacing Pat Cummins as the SRH’s captain. Cummins has provided much needed experience and composure along with thinking about strategy, which has been valuable to SRH as a team. Leading the first half of a season will depend on interim leadership and collaborative team effort to be successful.
IPL 2026 Schedule Update
As of now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has only announced the first set of matches for IPL 2026. The remaining schedule is likely to be announced soon, and then we would be able to get a better idea of Cummins’ potential return.
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