Several Teams Have Already Suffered Setbacks (Already )

IPL: With just one week remaining until the start of IPL 2026, the trend of players sustaining injuries continues unabated ahead of the new season. Several players have already   (Already )  been ruled out of the tournament due to injuries, while others will be unavailable for the opening matches. So far, a total of seven teams have been impacted by player injuries. Here, we provide details regarding the franchises and players who are currently battling injuries before the season even begins.

Two KKR Players Ruled Out
The team currently facing the most significant challenges due to player injuries is the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Two of the team’s players—Akash Deep and Harshit Rana—have already been ruled out. Meanwhile, it remains uncertain when Matheesha Pathirana will be able to join the squad; he is definitely set to miss the initial few matches of the tournament. Akash Deep has been ruled out due to a back injury, while Harshit Rana is sidelined with an injury to his right knee.

Two SRH Players Injured
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also has two players currently nursing injuries. Team captain Pat Cummins is recovering from a back stress injury. He will not be available for the opening match, where Ishan Kishan is expected to step in as captain in his absence. Additionally, Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a leg injury. The 25-year-old Edwards was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹3 crore during the auction.

Hazlewood to Miss RCB’s Opening Matches
Another Australian player set to miss the initial matches due to injury is Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood is part of the RCB squad for this season. He has been out of action for the past few months; hamstring and Achilles tendon issues prevented him from playing in the entire Ashes series. He has not yet fully recovered from this injury.

**Rajasthan’s Sam Curran Ruled Out**
The Rajasthan Royals have also suffered a setback. England all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out of the entire season due to an injury. It is believed that he sustained a groin injury while playing in the T20 World Cup. Recovering from this injury will take some time; consequently, he will not be available for this season.

**CSK Suffers a Major Blow**
The Chennai Super Kings squad has also been impacted by this issue. Australia’s star fast bowler Nathan Ellis—whom CSK acquired in the auction—has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to an injury. He had been battling a hamstring injury.

**PBKS and DC Players Also Sidelined**
The Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals squads have also been affected by player injuries. Delhi Capitals fast bowler Mitchell Starc is likely to miss the first few matches. Cricket Australia is managing his workload in light of his busy international cricket schedule. As for the Punjab Kings, their fast bowler Lockie Ferguson will be unable to play in the opening matches of the tournament; he will join the team late due to personal reasons.