The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is set to begin on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, several teams are heading into the tournament with concerns over injuries and player availability following a demanding international calendar. The recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has left a number of players either sidelined or in recovery, forcing franchises to adjust their squads ahead of the opening matches.
Here is a full list of players who will miss either the early part or the entire tournament:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Harshit Rana: The pacer is recovering from a knee injury and is likely to miss the entire season. He was earlier ruled out of the T20 World Cup after sustaining the injury in a warmup match against South Africa.
- Akash Deep: Ruled out of the tournament with a lower back stress injury. Left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey has been named as his replacement.
- Matheesha Pathirana: Awaiting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket after a shoulder injury curtailed his T20 World Cup campaign.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
- Pat Cummins: The captain is recovering from a lumbar stress injury and is expected to miss the initial matches. Ishan Kishan will lead the side in his absence.
- Jack Edwards: Ruled out of the season with a foot injury. England seamer David Payne has been named as his replacement.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Sam Curran: The England allrounder has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a groin injury sustained after the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka has been named as his replacement.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Josh Hazlewood: The fast bowler is awaiting clearance from Cricket Australia after a hamstring injury and is expected to miss the opening matches.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- Nathan Ellis: The Australian pacer has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during a domestic one-day final.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Mitchell Starc: Awaiting clearance from Cricket Australia as part of workload management. He is expected to miss the early matches.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Lockie Ferguson: Will miss the early part of the tournament for personal reasons, opting to spend time with his family following the birth of his child.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Josh Inglis: Will be partially unavailable due to his wedding in early April.
- Wanindu Hasaranga: Awaiting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
