There will hardly be two weeks time after the culmination of the Champions Trophy 2025 and the start of IPL 2025.
Australia received a major blow ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025 with their captain Pat Cummins getting ruled out for the marquee tournament due to an ankle injury he suffered during the final Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test.
Coach Andrew McDonald has hinted that the star bowling all-rounder is unlikely to be fit in time, putting his availability in question. Subsequently, Cummins’ Indian Premier League (IPL) team Sunriers Hyderabad (SRH) will also be in a spot of bother regarding his recovery.
With the IPL 2025 slated to start from March 21, there will hardly be two weeks time after the culmination of the Champions Trophy 2025.
Keeping that in mind, in case Cummins is unable to win the race against time, let’s take a look at four options SRH could consider as the Aussie’s replacement.
New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke had a base price of INR 1.5 crores but unfortunately went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction. The 23-year-old right-arm fast pacer can be on the radar of SRH, given his promising performance in the subcontinent during the three-match Test series against India last October-November.
Rourke picked up 7 wickets in 3 games and had a decent average of 18.43. He is currently playing in the Super Smash and has 8 wickets in 9 games. With his towering frame and high point of release, he has the ability to hit the deck hard and generate awkward bounces. Although he is yet untested in IPL, the Kiwi can end up being a revelation for SRH.
Jason Behrendorff emerges as a strong contender to fill in for Cummins, offering a left-arm pace option. In the Big Bash League, he impressed by claiming 17 wickets in 10 matches, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, he is particularly effective with the new ball. His skill set makes him a viable replacement for Cummins.
Furthermore, Behrendorff also has previous experience of playing in the IPL, representing the Mumbai Indians in 2019 and 2023. In 17 IPL games, the Aussie has 19 wickets.
ALSO READ:
Kyle Jamieson can be a like-for-like replacement for Cummins. The Kiwi bowls right-arm fast medium and is also a handy lower-order batter.
Standing at 6’8, Jamieson can generate pace and bounce. He previously represented RCB in IPL 2021, playing 9 matches and picking 9 wickets. However, his average and economy were subpar, reading 29.88 and 9.60 respectively and since then he has fell down the pecking order, going unsold in the last IPL 2025 auction as well.
Nevertheless, Jamieson is currently in stellar form in the Super Smash, where he is the third-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 12 games, at an impressive economy of 5.95 and makes a strong case for the upcoming IPL season..
SRH could also look at Riley Meredith as a potential replacement. He delivered an impressive performance in the Big Bash League, claiming 16 wickets in 10 matches and finishing as the third-highest wicket-taker.
Meredith’s ability to consistently bowl at speeds exceeding 140 kmph, combined with his sharp bouncers and precise yorkers, makes him a strong contender. His pace and variations could prove valuable, particularly in the death overs.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
