IPL 2026 is set to begin under a cloud of injury concerns, with several key players either ruled out entirely or unavailable for a significant portion of the tournament. Teams are being forced to rethink combinations even before the first ball is bowled.Here’s a look at the full list of players injured or unavailable before the season:Harshit Rana (Kolkata Knight Riders)The young Indian fast bowler will miss the entire season after sustaining the injury during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai on February 4.Nathan Ellis (Chennai Super Kings)Ellis has been ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury, which was confirmed by CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan on 19 March. He was expected to play a key role for the franchise this season, especially in the death bowling department.Sam Curran (Rajasthan Royals)The English all-rounder, who joined Rajasthan Royals in a trade deal with CSK last year and replaced Sanju Samson along with Ravindra Jadeja, will miss the entire season with a back injury.Jack Edwards (Sunrisers Hyderabad)Edwards, a new recruit who was picked up for Rs 3 crore in the 2026 auction, will not feature this season due to a foot injury, denying him his IPL debut.Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad)Cummins will miss the opening matches as he recovers from the injury that ruled him out of the T20 World Cup 2026. Ishan Kishan will lead the team in his absence, with Abhishek Sharma serving as vice-captain.Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bangalore)A key part of RCB’s title-winning campaign last year, Hazlewood is still recovering from an injury that has kept him out for four months. He will miss the opening phase of IPL 2026.Lockie Ferguson (Punjab Kings)New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is set to opt out of the early stages of IPL 2026 for Punjab Kings. Ferguson, a new father, will prefer to spend time with his family before potentially joining PBKS for the latter half of the tournament.Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals)With Mitchell Starc set to miss the start of IPL 2026, Cricket Australia has taken a cautious approach to handling the left-hander ahead of a demanding international schedule. Starc is among Australia’s senior fast bowlers who have been ruled out for the early part of the tournament, with their availability dependent on progress in return-to-play protocols over the coming weeks.Mathisha Pathirana. (Kolkata Knight Riders)The Sri Lankan fast bowler, who was bought for Rs 18 crore, has been ruled out of the team due to injury. Although he is expected to return at some stage during the tournament, it is unclear when and if he will be available for the entire season.The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28 with the opening match between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
