Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins: Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be out of the opening match of IPL! Approval not received from Australia

New Delhi. Australian fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are part of the teams of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both these players will not be able to play in the initial matches of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. According to a report, Hazlewood and Cummins have not yet received official approval from Cricket Australia's medical team for the upcoming season. Hopefully he can play some matches as the season progresses.

According to the report of Hindustan Times, the rehabilitation of both the star players is currently going on. There is no possibility of him being fit for the opening match of IPL 2026. This match will be played between RCB and SRH at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on 28 March. A source said, “Not much has changed since last week. The physio's approval is still awaited. Rehab is going on. Hazlewood and Cummins will not be available in time for the first few matches. It is expected that they will play some matches in the later part of the tournament. Everything depends on the clearance. As soon as the clearance is received, they will leave for India.”

Cummins last played a competitive cricket match against England at the Adelaide Oval in December 2025. He took three wickets each in both the innings. Hazlewood took the most wickets for RCB in the IPL last year. He played his last match for his home team New South Wales in November 2025. Due to injury, Hazlewood did not play in all five Ashes Tests. He was also dropped from Australia's T20 World Cup 2026 squad along with Cummins.

In the absence of Hazlewood, New Zealand's Jacob Duffy or Sri Lanka's Nuwan Thushara will lead the fast bowling of defending champion RCB. In place of Cummins, England's Brydon Carse or Sri Lanka's Ehsaan Malinga may get a chance in SRH's playing XI in the initial matches.