First Pat Cummins, then Josh Hazlewood were going to be late, and suddenly Nathan Ellis was out of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The injury crisis is deepening, as eight prominent overseas players will miss all or part of the season opener — and no franchise faces more uncertainty than Rajasthan Royals.
The Pink City side could yet lose their headline England signing before the tournament gets underway on March 28.
Will Sam Curran be available for IPL 2026?
Sam Curran is a serious doubt after reportedly picking up a suspected groin complaint following the T20 World Cup, where England fell to India in the semi-final. Rajasthan Royals and the England and Wales Cricket Board have issued no official confirmation, but sources close to the franchise suggest the 27-year-old is being assessed before the tournament opener.
Curran was set to don RR colours for the first time following a high-profile trade from Chennai Super Kings that also sent Ravindra Jadeja to Jaipur — making his potential absence doubly difficult to absorb.
RR miss Milne too
The confirmed blow is Adam Milne. The New Zealand quick has been ruled out for the full season with a pre-existing injury, leaving Jofra Archer to carry Rajasthan’s pace attack almost single-handedly from the outset.
IPL 2026: Australian players with injury
The Australian chapter remains the broader crisis. Nathan Ellis is out for the tournament entirely after re-aggravating his hamstring during the One-Day Cup final in Hobart. Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc will all miss at least the opening matches as Cricket Australia manages workloads ahead of a grueling 12-month international programme.
Sunrisers Hyderabad are doubly exposed — Jack Edwards has also been ruled out for the full season with a foot injury, leaving them without both their Australian recruits as Ishan Kishan takes the captaincy in Cummins’ absence.
IPL 2026 Overseas Players Injury Crisis Tracker
| Player | Franchise | Country | Role | Status | Injury/Reason | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Milne | Rajasthan Royals | New Zealand | Fast Bowler | OUT | Pre-existing injury | Full season ruled out |
| Nathan Ellis | Chennai Super Kings | Australia | Fast Bowler | OUT | Re-aggravated hamstring | Full tournament ruled out |
| Jack Edwards | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Australia | All-rounder | OUT | Foot injury | Full season ruled out |
| Lockie Ferguson | Punjab Kings | New Zealand | Fast Bowler | OUT | Paternity leave | First 7 games unavailable |
| Pat Cummins | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Australia | Fast Bowler | DELAYED | Workload management | Will miss opening matches |
| Josh Hazlewood | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Australia | Fast Bowler | DELAYED | Workload management | Will miss opening matches |
| Mitchell Starc | Delhi Capitals | Australia | Fast Bowler | DELAYED | Workload management | Will miss opening matches |
| Sam Curran | Rajasthan Royals | England | All-rounder | DOUBTFUL | Suspected groin complaint | Being assessed – no confirmation |
Which other franchise will be missing their overseas stars?
New Zealand seamer Lockie Ferguson adds to the gloom at Punjab Kings, confirmed unavailable for their first seven games on paternity leave. The tracker above has been updated to clearly separate confirmed absentees from those still awaiting official word — with Curran’s situation the one to watch as opening day approaches.