SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins has once again underlined his importance to the franchise after guiding the team to a second IPL playoffs qualification in three seasons. Under Cummins’ leadership, SRH have transformed into one of the most aggressive and fearless sides in T20 cricket, influencing how several teams approach batting in the Indian Premier League.
However, despite SRH’s successful IPL 2026 campaign, Cummins has made it clear that franchise cricket still remains secondary to his commitments with the Australian national team, especially in Test cricket. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo ahead of SunRisers Hyderabad’s final league-stage clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Cummins openly admitted that Australian cricket will continue to be his top priority over the next 18 months. The SRH skipper revealed that protecting his fitness for a packed international schedule was the main reason behind taking an extended injury break during IPL 2026.
Cummins missed seven matches this season while recovering from a lower back injury that had troubled him since last year. After featuring in only one Ashes Test during December and January, the Australian captain opted for a longer rehabilitation period to fully recover before returning to competitive cricket.
“Nothing has changed for me, my priority is Australian cricket, No. 1, particularly Test cricket. As Test captain, I never want to miss any Test cricket and make myself available for as many Aussie games as I can,” Pat Cummins said.
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The Australian fast bowler also explained where the IPL fits into his long-term plans, suggesting that the tournament suits him because it falls during Australia’s off-season window.“The IPL is good in that it normally fits in our holiday break, so that’s the obvious one. Those are my main focuses and I don’t see that changing for the next few years,” he added.
Cummins’ workload management has been a major talking point over the past few years. In fact, he had previously turned down opportunities to captain Australia’s T20I side following Aaron Finch’s retirement because he wanted to carefully manage his physical condition and focus on the longer format.
The 33-year-old admitted that his recent break was deliberately extended with the next 18 months in mind, especially considering Australia’s demanding Test schedule ahead.
“I actually feel really fresh. Physically, I feel as good as I have in six or seven years. A lot of the reason I missed longer than perhaps I could have was because of the next 18 months,” Pat Cummins explained. “Stress fractures in your back can recur quite often. We wanted to eliminate all the risk to make sure I have the best chance to play all those Test matches. My back’s fully healed now and feels really strong,” he added.
Since returning to the SRH setup, Cummins has once again become a vital figure in Hyderabad’s bowling attack. Apart from delivering key wickets at crucial moments, the Australian pacer has maintained excellent control with the ball and provided calm leadership during pressure situations.
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Under his captaincy, SRH have looked significantly more balanced and tactically sharper throughout IPL 2026. Their fearless batting approach and disciplined bowling performances have helped them secure another playoff berth.
SunRisers Hyderabad will now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, May 22, in their final league game of the season. SRH still have an outside chance of finishing inside the top two, although they would require a massive victory margin and favourable results elsewhere to make it happen.
