Will Pat Cummins play tonight in KKR vs SRH clash of IPL 2026?
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Pat Cummins missed the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opening game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026.
The week one of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 was exciting for many teams but not for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who played the tournament opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The Orange Army suffered a disappointing 6-wicket loss at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, and would now be looking to make a strong comeback.
SRH will be taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their second game of IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The three-time champions are also coming off the loss against Mumbai Indians (MI), meaning that both the teams will be desperate for two points.
SRH played the first game without their regular captain Pat Cummins, who joined the Orange Army in 2024 for a whopping INR 20.50 crore and led the team to final in that season. Ishan Kishan captained the side in his absence and played brilliantly, but failed to take his team to win.
Australia bowler Pat Cummins, who has captained SRH in the last two seasons, is one of the most important names for the team in the IPL, His absence was quite visible against RCB as the SRH’s bowlers failed to defend a total of 201 runs.
Will Pat Cummins play in KKR vs SRH clash of IPL 2026?
With KKR vs SRH game around the corner, one of the common question that has been bothering fans is ‘Will Pat Cummins play tonight?” However, the answer to this question is no. According to Cricket Australia, he’s expected to miss a few initial games as he is still recovering from the back injury.
Cummins has been putting in the hard yards in nets, but is yet to attain match fitness. He will miss KKR vs SRH clash, but is expected to make a comeback soon.
Just ahead of IPL 2026, Pat Cummins talked about his fitness and said:
“I’m still recovering from a back injury, but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets. 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.”
“I’m back bowling. I’m bowling basically every third day at the moment. We’ve mapped out a plan to get me right by [the] middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, [I’ll] play the back half plus the finals.”
Cummins’s back injury kept him on the sidelines for a majority of the Ashes and then ruled him out of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Talking about his performance over the last two seasons, Cummins has taken 34 wickets for the SRH in 30 matches, at an economy rate of 9.
The 35-year-old, who comes to bat at the 7th or 8th spot, also adds depth in the batting line-up. Thus, his absence in the initial matches could prove a huge blow to the SRH.
Who is captaining SRH in Pat Cummins’s absence in IPL 2026?
Ishan Kishan will lead SRH in Pat Cummins’ absence.
When did Pat Cummins make his IPL debut?
Pat Cummins made his IPL debut in 2014 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
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Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.