Pat Cummins has been given the green light to rejoin Sunrisers Hyderabad for the remainder of the IPL after fresh back scans in Sydney cleared the way for his return. The SRH skipper is now eyeing a comeback in late April, with his sights set on a specific date in Jaipur.
Quick facts
- Pat Cummins has been cleared to return to Sunrisers Hyderabad after latest back scans in Sydney.
- He is targeting a return to action in late April.
- Cummins said he plans to fly back to India on Friday.
- His aim is to play on April 25 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
- SRH are fourth in the IPL table, having won two of their first five matches.
- Ishan Kishan has captained SRH during Cummins’ absence.
- Josh Hazlewood has returned to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and is being managed after his comeback.
- Mitchell Starc is not yet with Delhi Capitals while recovering from shoulder and elbow injuries.
As SRH’s captain, Cummins had been with the squad at the start of the tournament. He then returned to Australia earlier this month for scheduled follow-up scans, which confirmed that the stress injury that had limited him to a single IPL appearance since last July is now healed.
In a response to an Instagram post featuring a family trip to the Blue Mountains, Cummins indicated he was due to land back in India on Friday. He also outlined his target of taking the field on April 25, when SRH face Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
Why Cummins was sidelined
Cummins was first diagnosed with a lumbar bone stress injury in August. He said the problem began after he felt soreness during the West Indies tour, and from there the injury kept him out for most of the season.
His spell of availability during the home stretch was brief, though he did manage to play the Adelaide Test against England. In that match, he delivered a six-wicket haul to help Australia retain the Ashes.
There was also confidence he might be fit for the T20 World Cup, and he was included in the initial squad. However, the competition arrived too early—and so did the start of the IPL—for him to return to full action.
With Cummins absent, Ishan Kishan stepped into the leadership role for SRH. Head coach Daniel Vettori had previously highlighted how that handover was being supported internally, saying Cummins had been present with the group and able to discuss his approach to captaincy with Kishan.
SRH’s recent form has been mixed but competitive. The side sit fourth in the standings after picking up two wins from five games, and they bounced back after an unsuccessful attempt to defend 219 against Punjab Kings—despite reaching 105 in the powerplay—by later defeating Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs.
Looking ahead, Cummins faces a demanding international schedule. Australia are set to play at least 20 Tests from August through next July, with series lined up against Bangladesh, South Africa, New Zealand, India and England, plus the 150th anniversary match at the MCG. If Australia advance, he could also be in contention for the World Test Championship final in June.
RCB and DC injury updates
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have also been monitoring workload closely with Josh Hazlewood after his return from injury. After featuring in his comeback match against Rajasthan Royals, he was rested for RCB’s subsequent fixture before making an impact against Lucknow Super Giants, where he produced figures of 1 for 20.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc is yet to join Delhi Capitals as he continues to recover from shoulder and elbow injuries picked up during the BBL. DC will wait for his fitness to be confirmed before bringing him into the playing group.
