Australia’s big three, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, will miss the early stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, with young pacer Josh Ellis also sidelined completely from the tournament due to injury.
The development was confirmed by cricket.com.au on Friday (March 20, 2026).
However, it is understood none of Australia’s ace speedsters, Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood will be available for their franchises when the IPL 2026 kickoff on March 28.
Cricket Australia (CA) is taking a precautionary approach with their veteran pacers as they are set to have a lengthy 12-month period, where they will play up to 21 matches, including crucial tours of South Africa, India and England, before defending their ODI World Cup crown in southern Africa in late 2027, the statement said.
The trio’s availability will depend on progress in their return to play protocols over the next few weeks.
Test captain Cummins played one Test match against England during the Ashes series last year due to a back stress injury, while Hazlewood was ruled out of the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles issues.The veteran pacers also missed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Starc, on the other hand, played all five Ashes Tests and also featured in the Big Bash League. However, the left-arm pacer missed the T20 World Cup, having retired from T20Is late last year. Nathan Ellis has suffered a recurrence of the right hamstring injury he suffered in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.
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The 31-year-old recovered to feature in all four of Australia’s group-stage games, but Cricket Tasmania has confirmed he reaggravated his hamstring during last week’s One-Day Cup final in Hobart.
Cummins is the skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, whereas Mitchell Starc is with Delhi Capitals, and five-time champions Chennai Super Kings bought Nathan Ellis for the Indian Premier League 2026 season.In place of Cummins, the Hyderabad-based franchise has confirmed that India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will be the stand-in skipper for the 2026 season.
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Australia selector Tony Dodemaide had said that Cummins and Hazlewood’s availability for the IPL purely was a “timing issue”.
“If it was in reverse, the IPL was first and the World Cup was second, then they’d be missing the IPL to play in the World Cup,” said Dodemaide.
“It’s not going to be frustrating for us at all. We know their commitment to want to play and succeed for Australia.”
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Jack Edwards ruled out due to foot injury
Australia all-rounder Jack Edwards has also been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to a foot injury, according to ESPNcricinfo on Friday.
The 25-year-old Edwards was signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹3 crore during the IPL auction. The Australian all-rounder was the only uncapped overseas player to be signed up at the 2025 auction.
Edwards made his T20I debut for Australia against Pakistan at Lahore in January 2026. The all-rounder has played just one match till now, scoring five runs.
In T20s, the 25-year-old has played 77 matches and 57 innings, scoring 853 runs and picking up 52 wickets.
Edwards had a strong Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 edition. He picked up 19 wickets and scored 133 runs in 13 matches for the Sydney Sixers. He has played two Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales, his state team, since then, the last of those fixtures getting over only on Thursday.
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Edward’s absence is an additional blow for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who will be without their regular skipper Pat Cummins for the start of the IPL 2026 as he continues to recover from lumbar stress injury. The Hyderabad-based franchise has named India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan as the stand-in skipper.
Edwards’ injury is an extension of the list of injuries to Australian fast bowlers. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Ellis, apart from Cummins, are also missing the IPL either partially or completely owing to injuries.
Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced the schedule of the first phase of IPL 2026 edition. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament opener on March 28.
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The Hyderabad-based franchise will then face three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2, followed by their matches against Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings on April 5 and April 11, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published – March 20, 2026 11:39 am IST
