The 2026 edition of the IPL is scheduled to commence on March 28. This will mark the 19th season of the league. With every team currently fully immersed in their preparations, expectations have soared that at least one team might breach the 300-run mark this time around. However, player injuries continue to remain the biggest challenge facing the tournament.
With just a few days remaining until the league begins, several key players are still undergoing rehabilitation to recover from injuries. According to reports, these players could miss a significant portion of the IPL season due to their injuries. The absence of these players is expected to have the most profound impact on four specific teams particularly Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders both of which currently have two key bowlers sidelined due to injury.
6. Eshan Malinga (SRH)
Sri Lanka's Eshan Malinga may not be available for the start of IPL 2026 due to a dislocated shoulder. This could be a major blow for Sunrisers Hyderabad, as the franchise had retained him for ₹1.2 crore. Furthermore, in Cummins' absence, this responsibility would have fallen upon Ishan; but now that he too has been ruled out, the Sunrisers' bowling attack appears somewhat weakened. All eyes are now fixed on Ishan's recovery.
5. Wanindu Hasaranga (LSG)
Wanindu Hasaranga could miss the opening matches for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026. He is suffering from a left hamstring injury, which also ruled him out of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Lucknow acquired him for ₹2 crore in the mini-auction, but his fitness remains a concern for the team.
4. Matheesha Pathirana (KKR)
Sri Lanka's star fast bowler, Matheesha Pathirana, will now be seen playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR acquired him for ₹18 crore during the previous auction. However, there is a very slim chance that Pathirana will be able to play in the first half of the tournament. He is currently sidelined due to a calf injury and a muscle strain in his left leg. He sustained this injury during the T20 World Cup, following which another player was brought into the squad to replace him. The exact date of Pathirana's return has not yet been determined.
3. Josh Hazlewood (RCB)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) appears poised to kick off its campaign without fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood is currently in the process of recovering from an injury. This injury forced him to miss the entire Ashes series as well as the T20 World Cup. The star RCB bowler had initially sustained a hamstring injury; however, just as he recovered from that, he began experiencing discomfort in his heel. Consequently, he will be unable to play the first two matches for his franchise in IPL 2026.
2. Pat Cummins (SRH)
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins is currently battling a back injury, and as a result, he could miss the first half of the 2026 IPL season. This situation has further compounded the challenges facing Sunrisers. The team now faces the task of deciding who will take charge of the squad in Cummins' absence. The team's performance under Cummins' captaincy has been outstanding; notably, the team reached the final in 2024.
Pat Cummins has not played any competitive cricket since the third Ashes Test held in Adelaide in December 2025. Following the tour of the West Indies, he sustained a lumbar bone stress injury in his lower back, which forced him to remain sidelined for an extended period. This was the very injury that ruled him out of the remaining matches of the Ashes series, as well as the ICC T20 World Cup.
1. Harshit Rana (KKR)
Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Harshit Rana could miss a significant portion of the tournament due to knee surgery. According to ESPNcricinfo, Rana underwent knee surgery in February and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. The BCCI's medical team is monitoring his fitness.
If he remains sidelined for the entire tournament, it would mark the second consecutive major tournament he is unable to play due to injury. Harshit Rana sustained this injury during India's T20 World Cup warm-up match. In that practice game played between India and South Africa, he bowled just one over before experiencing discomfort in his knee. Subsequent scans revealed a strain in the ligaments of his right knee, forcing him to withdraw from the tournament.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Overseas Players Rule: How Many Overseas Players Per Team?
Disclaimer
Possible11 is a sports news and analysis platform designed purely for entertainment and educational purposes. All match previews, player insights, and team analyses are based on publicly available information and expert opinions. We do not promote or support betting, gambling, or real-money gaming in any form. Users are encouraged to enjoy our content responsibly and use it for informational purposes only.
Give Your Feedback