SRH's rocky start sets the stage for Pat Cummins' homecoming
Sunrisers Hyderabad have had a bumpy start to IPL 2026, winning two and losing three of their opening five games. After a dominant 57-run win over Rajasthan Royals on April 13, SRH moved up to fourth in the table with four points and a solid net run rate of +0.576. Their season kicked off with a loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, followed by consecutive defeats against Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
However, they found their footing against KKR before pulling off a massive upset against the league-leading Rajasthan Royals. On that big night at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Ishan Kishan hammered a brilliant 91. At the same time, debutant quicks Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain combined for eight wickets to bowl RR out for 159, snapping their winning streak. While the batters have largely carried SRH so far, the bowling attack, missing its regular leader, has given the coaches plenty to think about before a tough run of games.
The long road back from a stubborn back injury
The reason SRH have leaned so heavily on rookies and a makeshift captain is a nagging back issue that has bothered Pat Cummins since mid-2025. Cummins picked up a lumbar bone stress injury during the tour of the Caribbean last year. Though he tried to return for the 2025–26 Ashes, the injury flared up and forced him back out. He missed the T20 World Cup 2026 because of it, keeping him off the field for nearly nine months.
Cummins was bowling in the nets after joining the SRH squad before their first game against RCB on March 28, but he had to fly home for a final medical scan handled by Cricket Australia. It was a move that had to happen, as he needed official clearance from the board before playing in the IPL. Before the season started, Cummins mentioned on the Business of Sports podcast that he was bowling every third day as part of a careful plan to return by mid-tournament. He noted that if everything stayed on track, he hoped to play the second half of the season and the playoffs.
While he was away, Ishan Kishan stepped up as captain with Abhishek Sharma as his deputy. Kishan has brought plenty of fire to the role and played a knockout innings in the win over RR, but the bowling unit clearly misses the control Cummins provides. In his last two IPL seasons, Cummins took 34 wickets with an economy rate under 10, while also chipping in with the bat at a massive strike rate. For a team that regularly clear 200, having a specialist to shut things down at the death is vital, and that’s exactly what Cummins does better than anyone else on the roster.
Cummins sets his sights on the April 25 clash against the Rajasthan Royals
Cummins confirmed in an Instagram reply to a fan that he’s heading back to India this Friday, April 17. He’s targeting the April 25 game against the Rajasthan Royals for his big return, telling fans: "Fly back Friday. Aiming for 25th vs RR."This confirms he’ll sit out the upcoming matches against Chennai Super Kings on April 18 and Delhi Capitals on April 21. Reports from Cricbuzz suggest Cummins is set for a final fitness test in Australia before his flight to India, with Cricket Australia managing the process.
The timing couldn’t be better. SRH face the Royals again on April 25, and despite the recent win, Rajasthan are still the team to beat this year. With two wins from five games, SRH are currently fourth, but every result is crucial now if they want to make the playoffs. Having Cummins back changes the entire team dynamic; he’s a genuine wicket-taker at both ends of the innings, he takes the captaincy back, and he brings a steady, experienced presence that you just can’t replace.
Pat Cummins' IPL career stats
In 72 IPL games, Cummins has taken 79 wickets at an average of 30.04 and an economy of 8.81, with personal best figures of 4/34. He’s also scored 515 runs in 58 innings at a strike rate of 149.71, including a high score of 66 not out. His best run came in 2024, when he captained SRH to the final and took 18 wickets across 16 games. After weeks of fans pleading for his return on social media, they finally have a date to look forward to.
