3 min readUpdated: Jun 3, 2026 11:09 AM IST
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins could have a limited role with the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season next year. Or perhaps none at all.
With an intense international calendar set to peak in the 2027 calendar year, Cummins is open to cutting down on his franchise commitments over the season.
“Something has to give,” he said. And it’s not going to be one of the 150th anniversary Test at MCG in March, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India, a potential World Test Championship final or the ODI World Cup defence in late 2027.
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Sandwiched between either end of a jam-packed international season will be the 20th edition of the IPL, running over two months between March and May and the Sunrisers skipper will be mindful of the workload that could hamper Australia’s star pace trio involving himself, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Ashes, WC 2027 in priority
“Something has got to give at some stage next year and it’s not going to be Test matches or an ODI World Cup,” Cummins told the Age, reflecting on what the workload of the five-match series in India in early 2027 could do.
The 33-year-old said he will assess his stress levels closer to next season and take a call in consultation with the Sunrisers management.
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“I will make a call a lot closer and work with the franchise to see what makes sense. Things can change. I’ve had a couple of injuries pop up, so I don’t really want to lock in anything.
“The priorities for me are always the Test matches and that ODI World Cup. I dare say if I play all of India, I need some sort of break before a pretty gruelling Ashes series.”
Returning from a length injury lay-off, Cummins took charge of the Sunrisers midway through the IPL 2026 season from deputy Ishan Kishan. The Aussie pacer spearheaded the side to Playoffs qualification where they were blown away by Rajasthan Royals prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational 29-ball 97 in the Eliminator.
Cummins heaped praise on the 15-year-old, insisting that the left-hander’s rise was not random.
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“I’d say [the mood in India] is still a little bit of disbelief. I think he’s got enough credits now that he’s not just a flash in the pan. He’s a real talent,” Cummins said. “He’s just a really good hitter of the ball. He’s clearing [the boundary] by 20 or 30 metres, so your margins for error become really small when someone is that strong and has got so many options. He’s really impressive,” added Cummins.
