Pat Cummins Eyes IPL 2026 Return, Aims for Back Half and Playoffs
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins is targeting a return to competitive cricket during the latter half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, including the playoffs. The Australian prompt bowler is currently recovering from a back injury that forced him to miss the T20 World Cup and the start of the IPL.
Injury Recovery and Timeline
Cummins is currently undergoing rehabilitation and has resumed bowling in the nets. He outlined a recovery plan aimed at regaining full fitness by the middle of the tournament. “I’m still recovering from a back injury, but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets. The IPL is starting soon. I won’t develop the start of that, but it shouldn’t be too long before I’m back out there playing. I’m back bowling. I’m bowling basically every third day at the moment. We’ve mapped out a plan to get me right by middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, [I’ll] play the back half plus the finals,” Cummins stated in a recent interview.
Ishan Kishan to Lead SRH in Cummins’ Absence
With Cummins sidelined for the initial stages of the IPL, Ishan Kishan will captain the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The franchise announced this leadership change last week. Kishan has been in good form, recently leading Jharkhand to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he was the highest run-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings.
Cummins’ Potential Involvement with Northern Superchargers
Cummins has also expressed interest in potentially playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, a franchise cricket competition in England. His wife, Becky, is from Harrogate, and he enjoys spending summers in England. “We spend a lot of time over in England during the summer,” Cummins said. “All the boys that go and play it love it. Slightly different format; I think it’s less than a month long. It looks good fun, so one day I’d like to play.”
Scheduling Conflicts
The timing of the Bangladesh tour, scheduled from August 13th to 26th, may present a scheduling conflict with The Hundred, which runs from July 21st to August 16th. Australia’s Test assignment against Bangladesh will be the first between the sides since 2017.
Test Matches in Darwin and Mackay
The Test series against Bangladesh will be played in Darwin and Mackay, with Darwin hosting its first Test since 2004 and Mackay hosting its first-ever Test match.
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