File Pic: Pat Cummins (R) and Ishan Kishan during IPL 2025. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Australia captain Pat Cummins has offered an encouraging update on his recovery from a back injury, revealing he is targeting a return in the middle of the IPL 2026 season while backing Ishan Kishan to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in his absence.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Cummins confirmed that he has resumed bowling and is progressing steadily as part of a structured rehabilitation plan. “I’m still recovering from my back injury but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets,” he said, hinting that his return to competitive action is on track.The SRH skipper admitted that he will miss the opening phase of the tournament but remains optimistic about an early return. “The IPL starts soon. I won’t be able to start but it shouldn’t be too long before I get back out there and play,” he added in the episode filmed last week.
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Axar Patel questions Impact Player rule: ‘All-rounders lose value’ Cummins outlined a cautious approach to his recovery, revealing that he is currently bowling every third day. “I’m back bowling. I’m bowling pretty much every third day at the moment. We’ve planned a plan to get me right into the middle of the tournament so hopefully if nothing goes wrong I’ll be playing the back half plus the final,” he said.The injury had earlier ruled him out of the T20 World Cup and restricted him to just one Test during the Ashes. After suffering a minor setback during his recovery, Cummins is now focused on ensuring he returns fully fit for the business end of the IPL.
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Cummins backs Ishan Kishan as SRH captain
In his absence, Sunrisers Hyderabad have made wicketkeeper-batsman Kishan the captaincy, something Cummins strongly supports. “Ishan has had a really successful captaincy with his local side over the last year,” said Cummins, referring to Kishan’s leadership role with Jharkhand.Cummins also emphasized the importance of local players in bridging communication gaps within a diverse team. “We’ve got a pretty experienced bowling group of local guys… I’m definitely leaning on local people who know them well – or even speak the language,” he explained.Sunrisers Hyderabad, who last won the IPL in 2016, will begin their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday and will hope to remain competitive until their regular skipper returns for the crucial phase.Also See: Check IPL 2026 complete schedule including match dates, venues and timings.
