Pat Cummins Injury Update: Pat Cummins picked up a lumbar stress injury during Australia’s tour of the West Indies last year, and the damage has stuck around much longer than anyone in the SRH camp expected. He made a brief comeback during the 2025–26 Ashes, but the injury flared up again, forcing him back to the sidelines and eventually ruling him out of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Without their captain and go-to wicket-taker, SRH have only managed two wins in five games and are currently fourth in the table. Even though the batting has been solid, the team is struggling to defend totals, and the bowling attack looks thin without its leader. Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan has done a good job stepping up, but there is still a massive gap at the top of the attack that they just can’t seem to fill.
Pat Cummins Injury Update: The Aussie pacer is set to travel back for the CSK clash
Pat Cummins flew back to Australia for a scheduled scan on his back, handled directly by Cricket Australia. He left India right after SRH’s game against KKR in Kolkata, sitting out matches against LSG, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals. According to Cricbuzz, Cummins has a fitness test in Australia on 15 April, a date the SRH management is anxiously waiting for.
If he gets the green light, he’s expected to rejoin the squad on 17 April, landing in Hyderabad just in time for a massive home game against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, 18 April. Before heading out, Cummins mentioned on the Business of Sport podcast that he was bowling every third day and that the medical team had a clear plan to get him fit by the middle of the tournament.
That plan is now at a make-or-break point. A good result on 15 April does more than just set a comeback date; it gives SRH their tactical identity back for the second half of the season. The franchise remains hopeful, and those who saw him training in the nets know he’s already finding his rhythm.
What does Cummins bring back to SRH?
Cummins is the only captain to lead SRH to a final since 2018. Over the last two IPL seasons, he took 34 wickets while keeping his economy under 10, and he’s been a force with the bat too, putting up a massive IPL batting average of 152.24. In the 2025 season alone, he finished with 16 wickets at an economy of 9.06.
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Beyond the stats, he brings a level of calm and control in tight moments that no other overseas player in the squad can match. His return immediately fixes the team balance, adds a proven match-winner to the death overs, and puts an experienced leader back in charge. SRH’s batting has kept them in the hunt so far, and having a fit Pat Cummins charging in at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium could quickly turn their season around.
