'It's disappointing, I saw him playing for Surrey': Sangakkara questions Curran's absence after RR's IPL 2026 exit
Mullanpur, May 30
Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara has publicly expressed his frustration over England all-rounder Sam Curran's absence from the IPL 2026 season, raising concerns about player availability and contractual commitments after the franchise's campaign came to an end in Qualifier 2 against the Gujarat Titans.
The Royals suffered a seven-wicket defeat on Friday, bringing the curtain down on a season that Sangakkara said was repeatedly disrupted by personnel setbacks. Among those issues, the former Sri Lanka captain singled out Curran's withdrawal from the tournament despite the England all-rounder subsequently appearing in domestic cricket back home.
Speaking after the playoff loss, Sangakkara questioned the circumstances surrounding Curran's absence.
"We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury, but I think I saw him playing for Surrey for two or three games now, so that was disappointing. We'd have loved to have had him here playing for us, but we got Dasun Shanaka as a replacement after we were informed early," Sangakkara told reporters.
Curran had arrived at Rajasthan through a high-profile trade with the Chennai Super Kings before the season. The Royals secured both Curran and Ravindra Jadeja in exchange for Sanju Samson, investing Rs 2.4 crore in the English all-rounder. However, before the tournament began, Curran informed the franchise that he would be unavailable because of what was described as a season-ending injury. Rajasthan later brought in Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka as a replacement.
The Royals coach also underlined the need for stricter enforcement of regulations governing player withdrawals from the league.
"A proper, tight policy around that is always a requirement. The BCCI has a strict policy on that. Every player goes through injuries, and if it's a serious injury, a season-ending injury, of course we understand," he said.
Curran has since featured in three matches for Surrey in the ongoing T20 Blast. While the 27-year-old has not bowled since England's T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India in March, he has contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 141 runs in the competition.
Sangakkara contrasted Curran's absence with the commitment shown by several other overseas players in the Rajasthan setup, many of whom remained with the squad despite limited on-field opportunities.
"We've had quite a few injuries. We've also had players like Adam Milne and Hetmyer, who've come here and not had much of a game. Lhuan-dre Pretorius is another one. 'Kwenna Maphaka is another one. They've been here. They've done the hard yards. They've practised. They've carried water for the team, and they've really worked as hard as anyone else to support the team on this journey. It's really up to that individual player to decide whether they want to come or not.
"But I think the BCCI policy around it is very strict now, and that's the way it should continue to be, to make sure that contractual obligations are met properly and genuinely. I think every side in the IPL will benefit from that," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, Sam Curran has been a bit overhyped for a while now. But Sangakkara is 100% right - if you're fit enough to play T20 Blast, you should be fit enough to fulfill your IPL contract. It's disrespectful to the fans who spend their hard-earned money to watch these players. Kaunsa desh hai yeh? England ka domestic season is more important to them than the biggest league in the world? 😤
To be fair to Curran, if he's recovering and easing back through county cricket, that's different from flying to India for the intensity of the IPL. But Sangakkara's point about contractual obligations is valid. The BCCI should make these international players sign binding commitments with real consequences. At the end of the day, it's a global league and reliability matters.
Ek baat toh hai - Sangakkara handled this with class. He didn't name and shame too much, but made it clear that the system needs fixing. And look at players like Hetmyer or Milne who stayed even without getting games - that's what commitment looks like. BCCI should have a proper medical verification process, maybe send their own doctor to assess these so-called "injuries." Simple hai na? 😊
This is a fair criticism from Sangakkara. While player welfare should always come first, there needs to be transparency when international players prioritize county cricket over IPL commitments. The BCCI's policy should include a clause where if a player recovers earlier than expected, they rejoin the franchise. Also, Dasun Shanaka has been a decent replacement, but not quite the same impact.
S We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.