IPL 2026: Pat Cummins nears return, expected to rejoin SRH camp this week

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are close to having Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins fit for the remainder of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The captain has not featured for SRH so far this season, with Ishan Kishan leading the side in his absence. 

However, there is optimism surrounding Cummins’ availability for the rest of the IPL season. According to Cricbuzz, the Australia captain is set to undergo a final fitness test on Wednesday, April 15, back home, and if he happens to clear it, he will return to India to join the SRH camp on Friday, April 17.

“Hopefully, he will clear the test and get the NOC from Cricket Australia,” a source told Cricbuzz.

Cummins first arrived in India on March 27, a day before the start of the IPL, with SRH travelling to the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium to play defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He also travelled with the rest of the squad to Kolkata for their second game before returning to Australia for a fitness test. The right-arm pacer, however, is now close to full fitness and should get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Cricket Australia if everything goes according to plan.

It is worth mentioning that the Australian fast bowling trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have all struggled with injuries ahead of the 2026 IPL season. The latter only played his first game for RCB against the Rajasthan Royals before sitting on the sidelines against the Mumbai Indians. 

Starc, on the other hand, is yet to join the Delhi Capitals squad as he continues to recover from a shoulder and elbow injury.

SRH fans flood Cummins' Instagram, urge him to return

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SRH fans flood Cummins' Instagram, urge him to return

SRH, meanwhile, have unearthed two uncapped gems in their fast bowling department in the absence of Cummins. Both Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain made their respective IPL debuts against RR and picked up four wickets each. Hinge was the star with the ball, becoming the first bowler in the tournament’s 19-year history to take three wickets in the first over.