IPL 2026: Franchises forced to get creative as bowling injury crisis mounts
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will miss the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. But their absence is less an isolated setback and more a reflection of a growing pattern in the modern T20 calendar.
Both Australian quicks are managing injuries: Cummins is recovering from a back issue, while Hazlewood continues to deal with recurring hamstring and Achilles problems. They have been advised to gradually build up their workloads, leaving SRH and RCB without their pace leaders at the start of the season.
The tournament underscores a deeper concern. The IPL’s position in an increasingly congested global schedule has made fast bowlers particularly vulnerable. With the T20 World Cup 2026 concluding just three weeks ago, recovery windows have shrunk further.
There is no fixed return timeline for either bowler. Cummins is expected to feature only in the second half of the tournament, while Hazlewood, who recently arrived in India, is still building up match fitness. Both bowlers also missed a significant portion of the recent The Ashes and the entirety of the World Cup in February.
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RCB appears better prepared for the setback. Its auction strategy accounted for Hazlewood’s uncertain availability, bringing in New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy as a like-for-like replacement. SRH, however, faces a more complex challenge in replacing Cummins’ dual role as both strike bowler and lower-order contributor, with Brydon Carse the closest fit in terms of skillset.
This year, 12 bowlers and all-rounders have faced injury concerns leading into the tournament, either being ruled out or delaying their arrival.
At Delhi Capitals, Mitchell Starc is yet to join the squad as he awaits a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Cricket Australia, which is managing his workload. The team may also face selection headaches despite having multiple pace options, with Lungi Ngidi currently leading the race.
However, the most affected side is the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team has lost key pacers, with Harshit Rana and Akash Deep ruled out, while Matheesha Pathirana is yet to clear fitness tests and is unlikely to feature at the start of the tournament. Though replacements like Navdeep Saini and Saurabh Dubey have been named, there is a clear dip in experience and their likely impact.
| Player | Team | Reason | Status | Replacement |
| Harshit Rana | Kolkata Knight Riders | Knee injury | Ruled out | Navdeep Saini |
| Akash Deep | Kolkata Knight Riders | Back injury | Ruled out | Saurabh Dubey |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Kolkata Knight Riders | Muscle strain | Joining delayed | – |
| Pat Cummins | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Back injury | Joining delayed | – |
| Josh Hazlewood | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Hamstring injury | Joining delayed | – |
| Nuwan Thushara | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Not injured but yet to pass fitness test | Joining delayed | – |
| Jack Edwards | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Foot injury | Ruled out | David Payne |
| Nathan Ellis | Chennai Super Kings | Hamstring injury | Ruled out | Spencer Johnson |
| Mitchell Starc | Delhi Capitals | Shoulder and elbow injury | Joining delayed | – |
| Sam Curran | Rajasthan Royals | Groin injury | Ruled out | Dasun Shanaka |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Lucknow Super Giants | Hamstring injury | Joining delayed | – |
| Prithviraj Yarra | Gujarat Titans | Not specified | Ruled out | Kulwant Khejroliya |
Why are bowlers getting injured?
The build-up to each IPL season is crucial, especially for tracking player fitness. In most cases, the tournament either leads into or follows a major global event.
Since 2022, an average of 10 bowlers and all-rounders per season have either been ruled out or had delayed starts due to injuries and workload management.
In 2024, nearly 13 players were affected by the T20 World Cup, scheduled for June. In 2025, the IPL began just two weeks after the Champions Trophy.
This year’s tournament starts three weeks after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Wanindu Hasaranga (hamstring), Pathirana (muscle strain), and Rana (knee injury) were all ruled out during different phases of the event.
How do teams react to last-minute injuries?
Franchises track players year-round, with particular focus on the final three months leading into the season. This helps them identify backups during the auction, as seen with RCB’s move for Duffy.
Teams also monitor reserve players and net bowlers for last-minute replacements who went unsold. A case in point is Saini, who was initially a net bowler for KKR before being drafted in as a replacement for Rana.
While similar strategies apply mid-season, franchises sometimes use replacements to address broader gaps rather than opt for like-for-like changes. During IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings signed Dewald Brevis as a replacement for injured pacer Gurjapneet Singh. Brevis was immediately included in the playing XI and later retained ahead of the auction.
Quality bowlers are a premium in T20 cricket, and losing them in a long tournament like the IPL poses a significant challenge. Managing injuries has always been part of the format, and the best teams are those that adapt quickly without disrupting team balance.
Published on Mar 28, 2026
