IPL 2026 Injured Players List of All Teams

The tournament starts in days. Teams are finalizing their squads. But the IPL 2026 injured players list tells a different story.

Fifteen players won’t be ready when the opening game begins at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.

Some franchises will start without their star bowlers. Others are missing key all-rounders.

A few teams lost players before they even took the field. The injuries range from torn hamstrings to surgery recoveries that stretch months.

IPL 2026 Injured Players List of All Teams

IPL 2026 Injured Players Full List of All Teams

The injury count breaks down into two groups. Eight players are out for the entire season.

Seven more will miss the opening phase but could return later.

Every team except a handful has been affected.

Fast bowlers took the biggest hit. Hamstring tears, back problems, and calf strains have wiped out some of the best pace attacks before the tournament even starts.

All-rounders dealing with knee and shoulder issues won’t be available either.

Season-Long Absences

These players won’t appear in IPL 2026 at all. Surgery timelines, recovery periods, and medical advice have ruled them out completely.

• Harshit Rana (KKR) was supposed to lead KKR’s pace attack. Instead, he’s recovering from knee surgery. The injury happened during a warm-up game against South Africa in February, right before the T20 World Cup. Doctors said he needs two to three months before he can bowl again. The IPL will be over by then.
• Sam Curran (RR) joined Rajasthan in a trade that sent Sanju Samson to CSK. Ravindra Jadeja also switched teams in the deal. But Curran’s groin injury means Rajasthan won’t see him this year. Two months of recovery puts his return well beyond the IPL timeline.
• Nathan Ellis (CSK) hurt his hamstring in the BBL back in January. He tried to play through it during the T20 World Cup. The injury got worse. CSK retained him at INR 2 crore expecting him to anchor the overseas pace attack. He’s out for the season.
• Jack Edwards (SRH) cost INR 3 crore at the auction. A foot injury has kept him sidelined. Sunrisers bought him for middle-order depth. They won’t get any use out of him.
• Atharva Ankolekar (MI) went down fielding in a Ranji Trophy match in January. He was diving to stop a boundary when his knee twisted badly. He left the field immediately. Surgery followed. The rehab period stretches far beyond IPL 2026. Mumbai paid INR 30 lakh. They won’t see a return.
• Eshan Malinga (SRH) dislocated his shoulder during Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign in February. The injury ended his tournament. Recovery is taking longer than expected. His availability for IPL 2026 was always doubtful. Now it’s confirmed he won’t play.
• Adam Milne (RR) tore his left hamstring playing for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20. The injury happened in January. It also ruled him out of the T20 World Cup. Rajasthan needed pace options from overseas. Milne won’t provide them.
• Akash Deep (KKR) was the latest name added to the list. A Cricbuzz report confirmed he’ll miss the full season. The specific injury wasn’t disclosed. KKR picked him at the auction. He was ruled out before playing a single game.

Players Missing Opening Matches

These seven players aren’t out for the season. But they won’t be there when their teams need them most in the early rounds. Some are recovering from injuries. Others are managing workload or dealing with personal reasons.

• Pat Cummins (SRH) has been dealing with back trouble since July last year. He came back briefly for one Ashes match. The injury flared up again. It kept him out of the T20 World Cup. Now it’s keeping him out of SRH’s opening games. As captain, his absence changes how the Sunrisers approach their early fixtures.
• Josh Hazlewood (RCB) has been out for months. Hamstring and Achilles problems have kept him sidelined. He missed the Ashes. He missed the World Cup. RCB expects him in mid-April. That’s halfway through the group stage. Until then, they’re down a frontline pacer.
• Mitchell Starc (DC) isn’t injured. Cricket Australia is managing his workload. A long Test schedule is coming up. They want him fresh for that. Delhi will miss their big signing for the opening matches. Starc will join later in the tournament.
• Lockie Ferguson (PBKS) is on paternity leave. His child was born recently. He’ll miss the first half of IPL 2026 and join Punjab in the second half. It’s not an injury, but it has the same effect on team selection.
• Matheesha Pathirana (KKR) strained his calf during the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka played Australia, and Pathirana went down. He’ll miss KKR’s first game against the Mumbai Indians. The second match against SRH should see him return.
• Wanindu Hasaranga (LSG) hurt his hamstring in the World Cup opener against Ireland. The injury knocked him out of the tournament. Lucknow expects him to miss the first few games. But there’s a real chance the injury won’t heal fast enough, and he’ll be out for the season.
• Matthew Short (CSK) is recovering from a thumb injury. He’s supposed to join the squad on March 22. But joining the squad and being match-ready are two different things. CSK will likely sit him out for the opening games.

Team-by-Team Impact Analysis

• KKR has been hit hardest. Three pace bowlers are unavailable. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are out for the season. Matheesha Pathirana misses the first game. Their backup options will be tested immediately.
• RR lost two overseas bowlers. Sam Curran and Adam Milne won’t play at all. That’s two fewer options for the captain and coach to work with when setting up combinations.
• SRH is dealing with multiple gaps. Pat Cummins, Jack Edwards, and Eshan Malinga are all unavailable. Cummins will return eventually. The other two won’t.
• CSK has three players missing. Nathan Ellis is out for good. Matthew Short and potentially others will miss opening games. Their squad depth gets tested early.
• RCB, DC, LSG, PBKS, and MI each have one or two absences. That’s manageable if no one else gets hurt. But if injuries pile up mid-tournament, those teams will struggle.

Expert Insight: Why This Keeps Happening

The cricket calendar is packed tight. Players finish international tours and jump straight into leagues. There’s no recovery window. Bodies don’t get rest. Hamstrings tear. Knees give out. Backs break down.

The T20 World Cup happened in February. The IPL starts in late March. That’s barely a month. For players who got injured during the World Cup, that’s not enough time to heal.

Wanindu Hasaranga hurt his hamstring against Ireland. Three weeks later, he’s supposed to be ready for a two-month tournament? It doesn’t add up.

Franchises plan for one or two injuries. They buy backup players at the auction for exactly this reason. But when you lose three or four players before the season starts? That’s not depth anymore.

That’s a crisis. KKR can replace one injured pacer. Replacing three at the same time? That changes everything about how they bowl.

The other problem is workload management. Mitchell Starc isn’t injured. Cricket Australia just wants to protect him. That’s sensible from a national team perspective.

But it means Delhi paid big money for a player who won’t be there when the tournament starts. It’s frustrating for franchises, but the alternative is pushing players until they break.

What does it mean for Fantasy Picks?

Don’t pick players who aren’t playing. That’s the first rule.

Pat Cummins might be a great bowler, but he’s not worth your credits if he’s not on the field for SRH’s first three games.

Check return dates before setting your team. Josh Hazlewood is expected in mid-April. That’s roughly when the group stage hits its middle point.

If you’re planning for the opening week, he’s useless. If you’re setting up for the second phase, he could be valuable.

Avoid teams with major injury problems early. KKR, without three pacers, will struggle to defend totals.

RCB without Hazlewood loses experience in their attack. Those teams might still win, but they’re less reliable for consistent fantasy points.

Track squad updates closely. Players like Wanindu Hasaranga could return earlier than expected.

Or they could be ruled out completely. Injury timelines shift. If you’re locked into a player who gets ruled out mid-tournament, you’ve wasted credits.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many players will miss IPL 2026 completely?

Eight players are ruled out for the entire season: Harshit Rana, Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Jack Edwards, Atharva Ankolekar, Eshan Malinga, Adam Milne, and Akash Deep.

• Is Pat Cummins playing in IPL 2026?

Yes, but not from the start. He’s recovering from a back injury and will miss SRH’s first few matches. He’ll join the squad once he’s cleared to play.

• When will Josh Hazlewood join RCB?

Hazlewood is expected to arrive in mid-April. That puts his debut roughly in the middle of the group stage, depending on how quickly he gets match-fit.

• Why is Mitchell Starc missing Delhi Capitals’ opening games?

Starc isn’t injured. Cricket Australia is managing his workload ahead of a long Test schedule. He’ll join DC after the initial phase of the tournament.

• Which team has the most injuries?

KKR has been hit hardest with three pace bowlers unavailable. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are out for the season, while Matheesha Pathirana will miss the first game.

The Reality Check

IPL 2026 was supposed to start with full squads ready to go. Instead, fifteen players won’t be there when the tournament begins.

Some will return mid-season. Others won’t play at all. For teams that spent heavily at the auction, it’s a brutal reality.

Injuries are part of cricket. But this many before the first game even happens? That’s unusual.

The T20 World Cup in February created a wave of hamstring tears and muscle strains.

The tight schedule between tournaments didn’t leave time for players to recover. Now, franchises are dealing with the fallout.

Fans wanted to see Pat Cummins lead SRH from day one. They won’t. RCB supporters expected Josh Hazlewood to be steaming in with the new ball.

They’ll have to wait. Rajasthan paid for Sam Curran’s all-round skills. They won’t see any of it.

That’s how the ruled out players of ipl 2026 list have reshaped the tournament before it even started.

Also Check:

• List of Players Who Left PSL to Join IPL
• IPL 2026 Venues
• IPL 2026 Schedul
• Who Is The King of IPL
• KKR Coaching Staff for IPL 2026

About the Author

Karan

Administrator

Visit Website View All Posts