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Pat Cummins Eyes IPL 2026 Mid-Season Comeback After Bowling in Nets

Australia's Pat Cummins has provided a positive update on his recovery from a back injury, confirming he has resumed bowling in the nets. The Sunrisers Hyderabad captain stated he will miss the start of the IPL 2026 season but is targeting a return for the tournament's second half and finals. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will lead the Hyderabad franchise. Cummins missed the recent T20 World Cup and much of the last Ashes series due to the same stress injury.

Key Points: Pat Cummins Injury Update: Targets IPL 2026 Return

  • Resumed bowling in nets
  • Will miss IPL start
  • Targets mid-tournament return
  • Ishan Kishan named stand-in captain
2 min read

"I'm back bowling in nets": Pat Cummins gives injury update ahead of IPL 2026

Australia captain Pat Cummins resumes bowling, aims for mid-IPL 2026 comeback. Ishan Kishan to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad initially.

"I'm back bowling in the nets - Pat Cummins"

New Delhi, March 25

Australia Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins has indicated that he is on the road to recovery from a back injury and is aiming to return to action midway through the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season.

Speaking on a Business of Sport podcast, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain 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.

Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for IPL 2026:

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).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Ananya R
Back injuries are tricky, especially for fast bowlers. The management is right to be cautious. Ishan Kishan leading is an exciting prospect though! Let's see how the young Indian captain steps up.
V
Vikram M
Honestly, paying so much for a player who might only play half the season doesn't seem like the best use of a purse. Hope he proves his worth in the playoffs, but it's a big gamble for SRH.
S
Sarah B
As an Aussie fan living in Mumbai, I'm just happy to see him bowling again. He's been missed. The IPL is the perfect stage for him to get back to full fitness. Go Patty! 💪
P
Priya S
Health comes first, always. Better to miss a few matches and come back strong than rush and get injured again. The team looks good on paper even without him initially.
K
Karthik V
The squad list has 'David Payne' mentioned twice, ANI. Someone check the copy! 😄 On topic, Cummins' experience in crunch games is priceless. If SRH are in the top 4 by the time he returns, they become instant title contenders.

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