The IPL 2026 begins on March 28.
The IPL 2026 will begin on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru in the tournament opener.
As per cricket.com.au, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood will all be unavailable for their respective teams when the 19th season of the Indian Premier League begins next weekend.
Cricket Australia is taking a cautious approach with their star multi-format bowlers, given the Kangaroos future matches: starting in August, the Test side will play up to 21 matches in 12 months, including tours of South Africa, India, and England, before defending their ODI World Cup title in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in 2027.
The trio's availability will be determined by the progress they make in their return-to-play protocols over the coming weeks.
Pat Cummins played one Test in the Ashes due to his back injury, while Hazlewood missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles issues. Both also missed the ensuing T20 World Cup. Starc, who has retired from T20Is, played all five Ashes Tests and participated in Big Bash League games as well.
Starc’s workload is being carefully monitored, given that he has bowled more balls in Test cricket than any other paceman, apart from Mohammed Siraj, in the last 12 months.
On the other hand, Nathan Ellis, who was to lead the pace attack for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has suffered a recurrence of the right hamstring injury he suffered in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.
He played all the games in Australia’s poor T20 World Cup outing, but Cricket Tasmania confirmed that Ellis reinjured his hamstring during the one-day Cup final. He will miss the entire IPL 2026, with CSK looking for a replacement.
The Sunrisers will also be missing another Australian recruit, with Cricket NSW stating Jack Edwards, who was purchased for $500k in the December auction, will be unable to play in the IPL due to a foot ailment.
In the absence of Pat Cummins, SRH have named Ishan Kishan as their interim captain for IPL 2026.
(cricket.com.au inputs)