Hazlewood, Cummins unlikely to play in early IPL 2026 fixtures

Defending Champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) look set to start their IPL 2026 campaign without champion fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. The seasoned star will miss the opening two games for his franchise as he continues his recovery from an injury-laden home summer, where he missed the entire Ashes series. Hazlewood, who suffered a hamstring injury before picking up an Achilles complaint during his recovery, was one of the keys to RCB finally breaking their IPL title drought last year, picking up 22 wickets at 17.54, the most for his team.

Hazlewood is likely to be joined on the late arrivals' list for the IPL by fellow Australian fast bowling elite in Pat Cummins, who too is not expected to feature in Sunrisers Hyderabad's opening few matches, which includes a clash against Hazlewood's RCB on the opening night of the season on March 28. The SRH captain only played a solitary Test during the Ashes, at the Adelaide Oval in mid-December, having been in rehabilitation from a niggling back injury that he picked up last July in the Caribbean.

Both Hazlewood and Cummins subsequently had been ruled out of the T20 World Cup, where Australia bowed out eventually in the first round. The Cricket Australia medical staff have monitored their two mainstays very closely over the last few months, and they continue to do so, leaving a bit of a cloud over the duo's exact availability for their respective IPL franchises. Even if for now, they remain very much in the mix to play a decent chunk of the season.

Hazlewood has emerged in the last few seasons as being one of the premier fast bowlers in T20 cricket. He also looked at his devastating best with the ball in the white-ball games against India prior to the Ashes.

Cummins, meanwhile, has played a significant role as leader for the Hyderabad franchise, taking them to the final two years ago. And he forms a vital cog of their bowling attack. Some reports in India have already suggested that the Sunrisers are looking for a stand-in to take over the reins in Cummins' absence.

The Australian selectors were categorical in their support of the two senior players when it comes to them prioritising the national team over IPL commitments in the wake of them missing out on the World Cup.

"It's a timing issue. If it was in reverse, the IPL was first and the World Cup was second, then they'd be missing the IPL to play in the World Cup. It's not going to be frustrating for us at all. We know their commitment to want to play and succeed for Australia," selector Tony Dodemaide had said back in February.

Australia will need Cummins and Hazlewood to be at their peak fitness from August onwards as they embark upon a hectic run for nearly 16 months, which will include away Test tours to South Africa, India and England alongside the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa.

Most of the other Australian players bound for the IPL are scheduled to fly out to India later this week, with a couple of them leaving on Saturday.

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