In a major blow to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the thick of the IPL 2026 season, captain Pat Cummins has officially temporarily left the squad to fly back to Australia. The news comes as a shock to fans, especially following SRH’s resurgence in the tournament. While Cummins has been a pivotal figure in the dugout and training sessions, his participation on the field has been non-existent this season due to a lingering injury that has plagued his career for nearly a year.

The Australian talisman’s departure follows SRH’s emphatic victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 2. While the team celebrated a win at Eden Gardens, Cummins was already preparing for a critical medical evaluation that could determine the trajectory of his playing career in 2026.

What forced Pat Cummins to leave IPL 2026 midway and return to Australia?

The primary reason behind Cummins’ mid-season exit is a persistent lower back injury that first surfaced in July 2025. Since that initial flare-up, the world-class pacer has been a rare sight in competitive cricket. His only appearance since then was a solitary outing during the third Ashes Test against England in December 2025.

Cummins was initially optimistic about leading Australia in the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this year, but a minor setback in his rehabilitation forced him to miss the marquee event. His arrival at the SRH camp for IPL 2026 was seen as a positive sign, as he was spotted bowling in the nets under a strict ‘Return to Play’ protocol. However, he has yet to receive full clearance from Cricket Australia (CA) to handle the intensity of a match.

The current trip back home is for a pre-scheduled final back scan conducted under the direct supervision of Cricket Australia’s medical team. This scan is the final hurdle in his recovery roadmap. If the results are clear, Cummins is expected to return to India and rejoin the Sunrisers squad by April 17, aiming to feature in the latter half of the tournament and the playoffs.

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SRH’s IPL 2026 performance and the fixtures ahead under Ishan Kishan

With the regular captain sidelined, the SRH management entrusted Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan with the captaincy, supported by Abhishek Sharma as vice-captain. Under Kishan’s leadership, the team has shown remarkable resilience.

After a disappointing six-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their season opener, SRH bounced back in spectacular fashion against KKR. The ‘Orange Army’ posted a massive 226/8, powered by aggressive knocks from Heinrich Klaasen (52), Abhishek (48), and Travis Head (46). Their bowling unit, led by overseas recruits Eshan Malinga and David Payne, successfully defended the total, bowling KKR out for 161.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s upcoming fixtures:

• April 5: vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Hyderabad
• April 11: vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Mullanpur
• April 13: vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Hyderabad

Until Cummins potentially returns on April 18 for the clash against Chennai Super Kings, Kishan will continue to lead a side that currently looks like one of the most dangerous batting lineups in the competition. Fans will be sweating on the scan results from Australia, hoping their ‘Captain Fantastic’ can return to lead the charge in the business end of the season.

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