Pre-season fitness worries are nothing new in the IPL. However, the scale of the crisis heading into IPL 2026 is on another level. Both opening match contestants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, are sweating on the fitness of their senior Australian pace bowlers. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders could be missing two of their primary fast bowlers for the start of the season.
Add Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings to the mix, and the situation looks genuinely worrying. Squad depth, auction strategy, and captaincy plans are all suddenly under the spotlight. The tournament hasn't even begun, yet these five teams are already facing an uphill battle.
1. Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR face the heaviest burden by far. It starts at the very top of their bowling attack. Harshit Rana suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during India's T20 World Cup warm-up against South Africa. He bowled just one over before leaving the field. He underwent surgery in February, and the BCCI medical team hasn't set a firm return date.
Beyond Rana, their Rs 18 crore auction buy, Matheesha Pathirana, is also unavailable for the start. Pathirana is sidelined with a calf injury and a muscle strain in his left leg. These were sustained during the T20 World Cup. His exact return date is still unknown. Because of this, KKR find themselves in a difficult spot before the first ball is even bowled.
2. Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH walk into the season opener on March 28 without their captain. Pat Cummins hasn't played competitive cricket since the third Ashes Test in December 2025. He sustained a lumbar bone stress injury in his lower back. This forced him out of the remaining Ashes matches and the T20 World Cup.
Ishan Kishan is expected to lead the side while Cummins is out. Abhishek Sharma is also being considered for the captaincy. Eshan Malinga adds to their problems. The young bowler is still recovering from a shoulder dislocation suffered against England in February 2026. He might miss the entire tournament.
3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Defending champions RCB face a tough start to their title defence. They will likely be without their most lethal bowler. Josh Hazlewood was vital to RCB's 2025 title win. He took 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.54.
However, hamstring and Achilles problems have kept him out of action for nearly five months. He is expected to miss at least the first two matches. Since Hazlewood is the cornerstone of their bowling plan, RCB’s early strategy is now under major pressure.
4. Lucknow Super Giants
LSG enter the season with concerns across several departments. Wanindu Hasaranga is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan are also dealing with fitness issues. LSG have already started looking for cover. They brought in Gudakesh Motie as a backup for Hasaranga.
Mohsin Khan hasn't played a match since late 2024. He is not confirmed for IPL 2026 after undergoing knee surgery in July 2025. He is still in rehabilitation. LSG's bowling attack looks thin and brittle right now, despite being dangerous when fully fit.
5. Chennai Super Kings
CSK suffered a significant late blow. Nathan Ellis has been ruled out for the entire season. He picked up a hamstring injury during a training session. Ellis was meant to be a key part of their death-bowling strategy. His absence leaves a massive gap in a CSK pace unit that was already relying more on experience than raw speed.
