Pat Cummins confirms he is targeting a return in the second half of the 2026 Indian Premier League season as he continues his recovery from a lumbar stress injury The Australian captain, who is out of the recent T20 World Cup because of the issue, has since been put on a structured rehabilitation plan and has started light training in India.
Cummins was spotted at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where he had been doing light sprints during warm-ups, earlier this week in Bengaluru. He also bowled occasionally in the nets, suggesting he is making solid strides towards recovery. Cummins revealed that he was aiming at being fit around midway through the tournament when asked about a return date. If things go according to plan, he should have a presence in the back half of the league stage and perhaps the playoffs.
The injury has seen Cummins make just one competitive appearance since last year; the third Ashes Test in December. And though he hoped to be back in time for the T20 World Cup, a slight setback meant he would miss out on making it. His only concern now is returning to top fitness, but taking his time about doing so.
Ishan Kishan will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener in Cummins’ place. Cummins backed Kishan to lead the team properly, noting that he was fresh off winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with Jharkhand in domestic cricket.
As an aside, Cummins also addressed the challenge of captaining an IPL side as a foreign player, dealing with language barriers for younger domestic players. He mentioned the importance of Indian teammates with more experience, who can fill in the gaps for better communication and help maintain cohesion within a team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who last won the IPL trophy in 2016, will begin their campaign for 2026 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, if Cummins can return for the critical stages of the playoffs, his presence would surely be a major boost to his playoff ambitions.
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