Pat Cummins returns to Australia for final scan on his back injury amid IPL 2026

NEW DELHI: Pat Cummins, the Australia captain who is also the designated skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League, has left the IPL 2026 camp and returned to Australia to undergo a final scan on his back injury, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Cummins’ scan is a planned procedure to be carried out under the supervision of Cricket Australia (CA), according to the report. Cummins left India after Sunrisers Hyderabad’s most recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the squad on April 17, subject to clearance from CA.

Cummins, who has been largely inactive since July last year — apart from featuring in a single Ashes Test in Adelaide — earlier said that he has resumed bowling in the nets and is gradually building up his workload as part of a structured rehabilitation plan.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the scan is a scheduled one, to be conducted with Cricket Australia (CA) overseeing it – he’s expected to rejoin the squad on April 17 if cleared by CA

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— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 4, 2026

While speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Cummins said, “I’m still recovering from a back injury, but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets”. The fast bowler had acknowledged that he is set to miss the initial phase of the IPL, but remained optimistic about making a timely comeback. “The IPL is starting soon. I won’t make the start of that, but it shouldn’t be too long before I’m back out there playing,” Cummins had said.

In place of Cummins, the Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan is the skipper for SRH in the 2026 season. SRH started their IPL 2026 campaign on a poor note as they faced a six-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their campaign opener but bounced back well in their second game as they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs at the Eden Gardens.

SRH are now going to face the Lucknow Super Giants in their third game of the IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on April 5. (ANI)