Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara has questioned Sam Curran’s late withdrawal from IPL 2026 and urged the BCCI to maintain its strict stance on overseas player availability, highlighting the importance of honouring contractual commitments throughout the tournament. Curran was ruled out of the IPL after reportedly suffering a season-ending groin injury.

However, the England all-rounder has since returned to competitive cricket and featured in multiple T20 Blast matches for Surrey, a development that has raised eyebrows within the Rajasthan Royals camp. Player availability remains one of the biggest challenges for IPL franchises, with several overseas stars either arriving late or missing parts of the season due to injuries, workload management, or international commitments.

This year alone, players such as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins joined their respective squads only during the latter stages of the competition. The issue has sparked wider debate across the league, with Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman also recently calling for stronger coordination between the BCCI and overseas cricket boards to reduce disruptions and help franchises maintain squad stability.

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Speaking after Rajasthan Royals’ elimination from IPL 2026 following their Qualifier 2 defeat to Gujarat Titans, Sangakkara admitted he was disappointed by Curran’s absence, especially after the franchise had been informed that the injury would keep him out for the remainder of the season.

“We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury, but I think I saw him playing for Surrey for two games or three games now, so that was disappointing. We would have loved to have had him here playing for us,” Kumar Sangakkara said.

The former Sri Lanka captain, however, praised replacement signing Dasun Shanaka and the rest of the Royals squad for remaining committed despite several setbacks throughout the campaign.

Sangakkara also backed the BCCI’s existing regulations, including the two-year ban imposed on overseas players who withdraw after being purchased at the IPL auction without a valid reason. “A proper tight policy around that is always a requirement. The BCCI has a strict policy on that, and that is the way it should continue,” he said.

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He pointed to several overseas players in the Rajasthan Royals setup, including Adam Milne, Shimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka, who stayed with the squad, trained hard, and contributed behind the scenes despite limited opportunities. According to Sangakkara, maintaining strict player-commitment rules benefits every IPL franchise and helps preserve the tournament’s integrity and professionalism.