IPL 2026: Full list of injured & unavailable players, Hazlewood, Cummins and more stars set to miss matches

The 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is all set to kick off on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

However, many players are either injured or unavailable for the early part of the tournament. This has created last-minute headaches for franchises as they adjust their plans.

Several players who sustained injuries during or before the T20 World Cup 2026, which concluded just a few days ago, are still in the recovery phase. Here is a list of key players who will miss the early matches or the entire season.

Harshit Rana (Kolkata Knight Riders)

KKR pacer Harshit Rana is recovering from a knee injury and is expected to miss the whole tournament. He was also ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 after getting injured in a warm-up game against South Africa.

Akash Deep (Kolkata Knight Riders)

KKR suffered another blow as speedy bowler Akash Deep is out for the entire season due to a lower back stress injury. The team has named left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey as his replacement.

Matheesha Pathirana (Kolkata Knight Riders)

KKR’s key bowler Matheesha Pathirana is waiting for clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after a shoulder injury ended his T20 World Cup 2026 campaign early.

Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

SRH captain Pat Cummins is recovering from a lower back stress injury. He missed a major part of the last Ashes series and the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan has been named stand-in captain until Cummins returns.

Jack Edwards (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards is ruled out of the entire season due to a foot injury. SRH have signed David Payne as his replacement.

Sam Curran (Rajasthan Royals)

Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Sam Curran is out for the whole tournament with a groin injury he picked up after England’s run to the T20 World Cup semifinal. Former Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka is expected to replace him.

Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

RCB’s star pacer Josh Hazlewood is still awaiting clearance from Cricket Australia. He has been sidelined since a hamstring injury in November last year and missed the T20 World Cup. He is expected to miss the opening matches.

Nathan Ellis (Chennai Super Kings)

Five-time champions CSK have suffered a big blow as Australian elite bowler Nathan Ellis is ruled out after a hamstring injury in the domestic One-Day Cup final.

Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals)

Delhi Capitals are waiting for clearance from Cricket Australia for Mitchell Starc, who is managing his workload ahead of a busy international calendar. He will miss the opening matches.

Lockie Ferguson (Punjab Kings)

Punjab Kings pacer Lockie Ferguson will miss the early part of the tournament as he wants to spend time at home with his family and newborn son. The New Zealand bowler is fully fit and is currently playing the T20I series against South Africa.

Josh Inglis (Lucknow Super Giants)

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, bought by LSG for Rs 8.6 crore in the IPL 2026 auction, will not be fully available due to his wedding in early April.

Wanindu Hasaranga (Lucknow Super Giants)

LSG is still waiting for clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket for spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.