"Good to be back": Pat Cummins shares positive signs of recovery ahead of IPL 2026
Hyderabad, March 26
Sunrisers Hyderabad's full-time skipper Pat Cummins shared the latest update on his recovery from the back injury with a photo ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The Australian fast bowler posted a story on Instagram with a photo of himself in a Sunrisers Hyderabad jersey and wrote a caption, "Good to be back", on Thursday morning.
Earlier on Wednesday, while speaking on a Business of Sport podcast, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Cummins said he has resumed bowling in the nets and is gradually building up his workload as part of a structured rehabilitation plan.
"I'm still recovering from a back injury, but it's good. I'm back bowling in the nets," he said, according to the report.
The fast bowler acknowledged that he will miss the initial phase of the IPL but remains optimistic about making a timely comeback.
"The IPL is starting soon. I won't make the start of that, but it shouldn't be too long before I'm back out there playing," he added.
Cummins further revealed that he is currently bowling every third day as part of a carefully monitored schedule designed to ensure a safe return to competitive cricket.
"We've mapped out a plan to get me right by [the] middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, [I'll] play the back half plus the finals," he stated.
Cummins played one Test match against England during the Ashes series last year due to a back stress injury. The right-arm speedster also missed the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
In place of Cummins, the Hyderabad-based franchise has confirmed that India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will be the stand-in skipper for the 2026 season.
Ishan Kishan, Salil Arora, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Brydon Carse, Harsh Dubey, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, Shivang Kumar, Jack Edwards, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, David Payne, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, David Payne and Pat Cummins.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Smart move to have a structured plan. Back injuries for fast bowlers are no joke. Better to miss a few matches than risk the whole season. Ishan Kishan has a big opportunity now.
As an Indian cricket fan, I'm a bit concerned. We see this often with overseas stars - they manage workloads for their national teams but get injured before/during IPL. Franchises pay huge money. Hope he delivers when he returns.
Excited to see Ishan Kishan as captain! He's been in great form. Sometimes a young Indian captain brings fresh energy. Cummins can mentor from the sidelines initially. Win-win situation maybe? 🤔
"Good to be back" - love the positive vibe from Pat. He's a proven champion. If SRH can stay in contention until he returns, they become instant title contenders. His bowling in the death overs is priceless.
The article mentions he missed the T20 World Cup too. It's a shame for fans, but player health comes first. Hope the rehab goes smoothly and we get to see him in action at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium soon! 🏏
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