Pat Cummins has flown back to Australia for further assessment of his back injury, with Sunrisers Hyderabad awaiting clarity over his availability for the latter stages of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The SRH captain, who has not featured in the tournament so far, travelled home after the team’s recent fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders. He is set to undergo a final scan under the supervision of Cricket Australia’s medical staff.
If cleared, Cummins is expected to rejoin the squad around 17 April.
The Australian fast bowler has been sidelined since July 2025, apart from a solitary appearance during the Ashes, and has been gradually working his way back through a structured return-to-play programme. He had recently resumed bowling in the SRH nets as part of that recovery process.
Ahead of the IPL, Cummins had indicated that he would likely miss the early stages of the tournament but remained confident of returning midway.
“I’m still recovering from a back injury, but I’m back bowling in the nets,” he said. “We’ve mapped out a plan to get me right by the middle of the tournament.”
In his absence, Ishan Kishan has taken over the captaincy duties, while overseas pacers Eshan Malinga and David Payne have led the bowling attack.
SRH are set to host Lucknow Super Giants in their next fixture on Sunday, as they continue their campaign without their regular skipper.
