Sunrisers Hyderabad Welcomes Pat Cummins Back to Bowling After Injury Recovery

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins has been cleared to bowl after recovering from a back injury. Targeting a return on March 25 against the Rajasthan Royals, Cummins' comeback is expected to strengthen SRH's bowling attack, which has struggled in his absence. The team has seen mixed results, but recent performances from debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain have provided hope. With Cummins back, SRH aims to leverage its powerful batting lineup and improve its standing in the league.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 16, 2026, 14:59 IST

Pat Cummins Cleared to Bowl for SRH

In a significant boost for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), captain Pat Cummins has received the green light from Cricket Australia to resume bowling following successful scans that confirmed his recovery from a back injury. Cummins had been with the SRH squad since the beginning of IPL 2026 but traveled to Australia for medical evaluations. He had been dealing with a stress injury and participated in only one Ashes Test. Although he joined the SRH team at the start of the IPL, he was unable to play due to not being fully fit. During his absence, Ishan Kishan took over as captain, but the team struggled, managing only two wins against three losses. Cummins has indicated a potential return date, targeting the match against the Rajasthan Royals on March 25, and plans to return to India on April 17 to rejoin the team.

SRH's Bowling Struggles Without Cummins

Initially expected to spearhead the SRH bowling lineup, Cummins' absence left the team with a weakened attack, relying heavily on Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat as their primary fast bowlers. This lack of potency was evident as SRH lost two matches to RCB and PBKS, despite scoring over 200 runs in both encounters. However, in their recent match against the Rajasthan Royals, debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain made a significant impact, each taking four wickets and leading SRH to victory. Eshan Malinga, who filled the overseas pacer role in Cummins' absence, managed to secure two wickets, but will likely have to step aside when Cummins returns. If Hinge and Hussain can maintain their impressive form alongside Cummins, SRH could emerge as a formidable force, bolstered by one of the league's most powerful batting lineups.