Australia’s captain Pat Cummins has left the Sunrisers Hyderabad camp during IPL 2026 to return home for a final scan on his injured back, raising concerns over his availability for the early phase of the tournament.
Cummins departed the SRH squad after their win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. The scan, scheduled in advance, will be conducted under the supervision of Cricket Australia.
The fast bowler has not played regular cricket since July 2025, apart from featuring in a single Ashes Test.
Possible return date for IPL 2026
If everything goes according to plan, Cummins is expected to rejoin the squad on April 17, just a day before SRH face Chennai Super Kings.
However, his return will depend on clearance from Cricket Australia following the medical assessment.
Speaking earlier on the Business of Sport podcast, Cummins said he has resumed bowling and is gradually building rhythm.
“I’m still recovering from a back injury, but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets,” he said.
He added that while he would miss the initial phase of the IPL, he aims to feature in the latter half of the tournament and playoffs.
In Cummins’ absence, SRH handed captaincy to Ishan Kishan for the 2026 season.
The team had a mixed start — losing their opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru before bouncing back with a convincing win over KKR on April 2.
SRH are now set to face Lucknow Super Giants in their next match on April 5 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
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