Fresh scans on his back have cleared the way for Pat Cummins to return to action at the IPL
Pat Cummins has been given the all-clear to resume bowling without restrictions following fresh scans on his back in Sydney, paving the way for his return to action at the IPL.
Cummins’ latest set of scans on Wednesday confirmed the back stress issue that limited him to a single match of professional cricket since last August has now resolved.
The Aussie pace spearhead will now return to India on Friday to link up with his Australia teammate Travis Head at the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise for the remainder of this year’s IPL.
While Sunrisers will play home matches against Chennai Super Kings this weekend and against the Delhi Capitals next Wednesday, Cummins’ cautious approach to returning has him targeting the April 25 match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur for his return to the playing XI.
Cummins is expected to resume captaincy of the side that has been led by Ishan Kishan during the Aussie’s absence. The team is currently sitting in fourth spot among a glut of teams with two wins.
Cummins’ return is on track with his carefully managed plan to play the second half of the tournament, plus finals, ahead of a hectic period of Test cricket for Australia, which could see them play up to 21 Tests in about 12 months.
Cummins recently reiterated his desire to keep playing all three formats for Australia while the Test and ODI skipper suggested he will continue prioritising important series and taking extended two-to-three month “forced rest” blocks to stay fresh for major Test campaigns and World Cups.
“Still very keen to play all three formats and at the moment I think we can make it work. I love Test cricket,” Cummins told the Business of Sport podcast in late March. “Hopefully I’m in a cadence where I can keep doing that for three, four, five years and don’t have to forgo Test cricket.”
Australia’s run of Test cricket begins with a two-match series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay in August before taking in three Tests in South Africa, four at home against New Zealand this summer, five away to India next January-February, the 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG in March before a possible World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June before a five-Test Ashes tour.
But fulfilling his almost A$4m IPL deal with Sunrisers, coached by Australia assistant Dan Vettori, has become a key part of Cummins’ calendar.
Vettori had hailed Cummins’ fitness as “exceptional” ahead of the season start, with the 32-year-old using his layoff from bowling to improve his strength and conditioning.
“His fitness has been exceptional because he’s obviously been out of the game for an extended period of time so he’s had that time to work on that fitness, a real block of work around strength and conditioning,” Vettori said three weeks ago.
“It’s obviously a bit of a painstaking process to get the loads up to where he feels confident and strong about bowling.”
IPL 2026 standings
Australians in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings: Matt Short ($255k), Spencer Johnson ($255k, replaces Nathan Ellis ($340k))
Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc ($2m)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.13m), Tim David ($510k)
Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis ($1.9m), Ben Dwarshuis ($745k), Mitchell Owen ($510k), Cooper Connolly ($510k), Xavier Bartlett ($136k)
Kolkata Knight Riders: Cameron Green ($3.5m)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.5m), Travis Head ($2.38m), Jack Edwards ($510k, withdrawn)
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis ($1.49m), Mitchell Marsh ($578k)
