New Delhi: Australian captain Pete Cummins has offered an encouraging update on his recovery from a back injury, revealing he is targeting a return midway through the IPL 2026 season while backing Ishan Kishan to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in his absence.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Cummins confirmed that he has resumed bowling and is making steady progress under a structured rehabilitation plan. “I’m still recovering from a back injury, but it’s good. I’m back bowling in the nets,” he said, adding that his return to competitive action is on track.The SRH captain admitted that he will miss the early stages of the tournament but is hopeful of a timely return. “The IPL starts soon. I won’t start it, but it shouldn’t be long before I’m out there playing,” he reportedly added in the episode shot last week.
Cummins outlined a cautious approach to his recovery, revealing that he is currently bowling every third day. “I am back bowling,” he said. I’m basically bowling every third day right now. We have planned to get me to the middle of the tournament, so hopefully if nothing goes wrong I will play the back half and the final.The injury had earlier ruled him out of the T20 World Cup and restricted him to just one Test during the Ashes. After suffering a minor setback during his recovery, Cummins is now focused on ensuring he is fully fit for the business end of the IPL.
Cummins backs Ishan Kishan as SRH captain.
In his absence, Sunrisers Hyderabad have handed over the captaincy to wicketkeeper-batsman Kishan, which Cummins has strongly supported. “Ishan has had a successful captaincy stint with his local team over the last year or so,” Cummins said, referring to Kishan’s leadership role with Jharkhand.Cummins also highlighted the importance of local players in bridging communication gaps in a diverse squad. “We have a pretty experienced bowling group of local guys… I’m definitely relying on local guys who know them well – or even speak the language,” he explained.Sunrisers Hyderabad, who last won the IPL in 2016, will open their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, hoping to keep the competition alive until the return of their regular captain in the decider.
