Pat Cummins has been cleared to return to bowling after fresh scans, handing Sunrisers Hyderabad a major boost ahead of the second half of IPL 2026. But questions remain over whether the Australian skipper will feature in the upcoming clash against Chennai Super Kings.
The development comes after Cricket Australia confirmed that Cummins’ long-standing back issue has now been resolved. In a statement released on April 16, it was revealed that the pacer is set to rejoin the SRH squad soon, after having already missed the side’s first 5 matches so far.
“Pat Cummins has been given the all-clear to resume bowling without restrictions following fresh scans on his back in Sydney,” the update read.
“Cummins’ latest set of scans confirmed the back stress issue that limited him to a single match of professional cricket since last August has now resolved,” it added.
The Australian quick is expected to travel back to India and rejoin the SRH squad, linking up with his SRH teammates, who seem to have found a winning rhythm after their dominant win over an in-form Rajasthan Royals, following their topsy-turvy start to the 2026 season.
WHY HAS CUMMINS MISSED IPL 2026 SO FAR?
Cummins’ absence so far has been due to a carefully managed recovery from a back injury that dates back to last year.
“I’m back bowling we’ve mapped out a plan to get me right by the middle of the tournament. So hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, I’ll play the back half, plus the final,” Cummins had said before the season.
The injury had already forced him to miss significant cricket, including the T20 World Cup, with only a limited return during the Ashes. He had briefly joined the SRH squad earlier this season but returned home for final scans to ensure there were no long-term concerns.
WILL CUMMINS PLAY SRH vs CSK?
Despite being cleared, Cummins is unlikely to be rushed back immediately.
“Cummins’ cautious approach to returning has him targeting the April 25 match against Rajasthan Royals for his return to the playing XI,” the update stated.
This means he is expected to sit out the immediate fixtures, including the clash against CSK, as he focuses on building match fitness and managing workload.
His return, however, is firmly on track for the latter half of the tournament, where he is also expected to resume captaincy duties from Ishan Kishan.
For SRH, who have recently seen impressive performances from youngsters like Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, Cummins’ comeback could add further balance to an evolving bowling attack as the playoffs race intensifies.
