Australia captain Pat Cummins has opened the door to the possibility of skipping the IPL in 2027, suggesting that franchise cricket might have to share the spotlight with the demanding international block that lies ahead. With one of the busiest stretches of his career taking shape, Cummins is weighing how best to manage his own workload while also keeping Australia’s bowling unit in peak condition for the biggest assignments.
The next season for Australia starts with a four-match Test series in India, before moving back to home soil for the landmark 150th anniversary Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After that comes the high-profile Ashes, followed later by the ODI World Cup in southern Africa—an itinerary that leaves little room for a full-throttle presence in every format. Cummins indicated that some form of compromise may be necessary simply to stay fresh for Australia’s most important matches.
Speaking to The Age, the fast bowler made it clear that no final call has been reached on his IPL plans, but he believes the franchise side of the sport could be where adjustments are most likely. “Something has got to give at some stage next year, and it’s not going to be Test matches or an ODI World Cup,” Cummins said. He added that he will revisit the decision closer to the time and coordinate with the franchise to determine what makes the most sense as the schedule evolves. “I will make a call a lot closer and work with the franchise to see what makes sense. Things can change. I’ve had a couple of injuries pop up, so I don’t really want to lock in anything,” he said.
Cummins also stressed that the Test arena and the ODI World Cup remain the top priorities. “The priorities for me are always the Test matches and that ODI World Cup. I dare say if I play all of India, I need some sort of break before a pretty gruelling Ashes series,” he explained. The 33-year-old has previously dealt with injury worries, including back issues that have at times affected his ability to commit consistently to international cricket.
With that in mind, he believes Australia may need to be more deliberate about how they handle the workloads of their leading pace options as the Ashes approaches—particularly Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Cummins said the team could consider winding down fast bowlers at strategic points, depending on selection and fitness. “It’s possible. I think we’re fairly open-minded to anything, as we’ve seen over the last couple of years. I see a world where we’re potentially winding some bowlers down, even say at the back end of an Indian series if they don’t look like they’re going to play, to give them an extra rest ahead of the Ashes,” he said.
Even with the packed calendar, Cummins believes the next 18 months could prove significant for the current Australian group. “It’s going to be a big push the next 18 months or so, but I think we’ll look back on it hopefully and see it as one of the more rewarding periods of our career,” he added.
His workload conversation comes after a turbulent recent IPL campaign. Cummins missed the opening seven matches of IPL 2026 before returning to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad. While he led SRH back into contention, Ishan Kishan captained the side during Cummins’ absence. Hyderabad’s campaign ultimately ended in the Eliminator, where they were eliminated by Rajasthan Royals.
