Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 campaign ended after Qualifier 2 on Friday, but the bigger talking point behind the scenes was Sam Curran’s absence. Curran missed the season due to a groin injury, yet he marked his return in England’s Vitality Blast for Surrey on May 22—an outcome that left Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara visibly disappointed.
Sangakkara on Curran’s return and why it hurt RR
Sangakkara said he had been informed that Curran’s injury was severe enough to end his season, but that he nonetheless saw the allrounder take the field for Surrey in the Blast. Speaking at a press conference following RR’s exit from the tournament, he described the situation as disappointing and added that the Royals would have welcomed Curran into their XI.
He explained that the guidance they received was that Curran would not be available, while his own observation suggested that Curran had already played a couple of matches for Surrey. Sangakkara added that having Curran in Royals colours would have been a boost for the side’s campaign.
What Curran had said at the time of his IPL withdrawal
The Royals’ plan changed after Curran pulled out of IPL 2026. The public news of his withdrawal became known on March 19, and at that stage Curran indicated he would return only when conditions felt right.
Sangakkara’s comments also reflected the contrast between the message RR received about a “season-ending injury” and the later reality of Curran featuring in the Blast. Curran had previously framed his recovery timeline as one driven by how his body responded, rather than a fixed date.
How RR moved to replace Curran—and the complication with Shanaka
With Curran having already communicated to the Royals that he could not play, RR brought in Dasun Shanaka as a replacement. The switch was made on March 23, but it triggered a second wave of issues because Shanaka’s overseas commitments became entangled with the league timing.
- RR acquired Curran through a trade that involved Ravindra Jadeja moving between franchises, with Sanju Samson included in the exchange.
- After Curran’s unavailability was communicated in advance, Shanaka was signed as a replacement on March 23.
- Shanaka had to withdraw from his arrangement with Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2026 to join RR.
- As a result of that switch, Shanaka was barred from the PSL for a year.
Curran’s Blast form, injury background, and the BCCI withdrawal policy
Curran has appeared in three Vitality Blast matches for Surrey so far. At this stage, he is their leading run-scorer with 141 runs across three innings, even though he has not bowled in the competition yet.
In earlier comments reported by British media, Curran described his groin issue as something he had been managing throughout the T20 World Cup earlier in the year. He said the problem gradually worsened, that scans revealed damage significant enough to force a difficult call, and that it was affecting him quite a bit.
The broader debate around overseas players who do not honour IPL commitments has surfaced repeatedly, and the issue gained formal enforcement in September 2024 when the BCCI announced a two-year ban for players who withdraw after being picked at IPL auctions.
- Sangakkara said he believes a strict policy is essential for dealing with players who pull out after being selected.
- He acknowledged that injuries are part of sport and that serious injuries—especially those that truly end a season—should be understood.
- He added that the BCCI’s approach is firm and that it should remain that way to ensure commitments are honoured properly and genuinely.
Why RR still wanted Curran around, despite the rules
While Sangakkara stressed that injuries can happen, he still suggested that RR would have benefited from Curran being part of the setup during what would have been his first season with the franchise.
He pointed to other overseas players who have arrived at the Royals but did not get much game time, noting that they still contributed by putting in hard work, practicing, supporting the squad through daily efforts, and backing the team through the journey.
- He referenced Adam Milne and Shimron Hetmyer as examples of players who came to Royals but did not receive much opportunity.
- Lhuan-dre Pretorius was also mentioned as another case of limited on-field chances despite involvement with the group.
- Kwena Maphaka was named as yet another player who worked with the squad and supported the team’s progress.
Wrapping up, Sangakkara reiterated that it is ultimately each individual player’s decision whether to come, but he maintained that the IPL framework needs to stay strict. He argued the policy exists to make sure contractual responsibilities are met properly, and he believes every franchise in the league stands to gain when that principle is followed consistently.
