indian premier league - ipl

How Many Matches Will Pat Cummins Miss in IPL 2026?

Sagar Paul

Last updated: March 26, 2026

3 min read

How many matches will Pat Cummins miss in IPL 2026? This has been one of the main question since the latest statement made by the SRH captain about his availability.

What is clear so far is that Cummins will not play all the matches. He will miss some games, but he is expected to take part in this edition.

How many matches will Pat Cummins miss in IPL 2026?

Many reports have been discussing the big question: ‘How many matches will Pat Cummins miss in IPL 2026?’ A few days ago, Cricbuzz reported that he will miss the initial matches of the season.

For now, he has joined the SRH squad. In a podcast Cummins has said that if everything goes well, he could play in the later part of the season and also in the playoffs, if the team qualifies. The skipper is recovering from a back injury.

“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 said in Business of Sport podcast .

How many matches will Pat Cummins miss in IPL 2026? According to his statement, he is likely to miss at least half of the season. SRH management and fans will be hoping he recovers quickly.

So far, only the first phase schedule is out. Cummins is expected to miss all four matches. These games are against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28 in Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2 in Kolkata, Lucknow Super Giants on April 5 in Lucknow, and Punjab Kings on April 11 in Mullanpur.

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How SRH can manage Pat Cummins absence

SRH not only have to decide which pacer will play instead of him, but also who will lead the team in his absence. The decision has been made: Ishan Kishan will be the captain for the matches Cummins misses, and Abhishek Sharma will be the vice-captain.

In terms of pacers, SRH have Brydon Carse and Eshan Malinga, who has been cleared by SLC after recovering from an injury. They have also signed England left-arm pacer David Payne as a replacement for Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards, who is out with a foot injury. However, it could be Brydon Carse who gets a chance in the playing XI instead of Cummins, as he can bat lower down the order and bowl with the new ball.

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