Australian Pacers Set to Skip Early Games Amid Workload Management Concerns

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Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are likely to miss the opening matches of IPL 2026, as Cricket Australia (CA) continues to monitor the workload of its key fast bowlers ahead of a busy international calendar.

The two pacers, representing Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru respectively, are among several Australian players expected to be unavailable for either part or the entirety of the upcoming IPL season. Their absence adds to a growing list of concerns for franchises relying on Australian talent this year.

Pat Cummins had already been ruled out of the initial phase of the tournament for Sunrisers Hyderabad. In another setback for the franchise, Jack Edwards has been ruled out completely due to injury. Chennai Super Kings are also likely to be without Nathan Ellis, who is recovering from a hamstring issue.

Cummins has had limited game time in recent months, featuring in just one Test during the Australian summer due to a back stress injury. That appearance, in the third Ashes Test in December, was his only outing since July 2025. Hazlewood, meanwhile, missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles problems, and has only played a handful of matches across formats since then.

Starc, on the other hand, carried a heavy workload during the Ashes, playing all five Tests and finishing as Player of the Series with 31 wickets in Australia’s 4-1 win. He also participated in the latter stages of the Big Bash League, further adding to his workload. Having retired from T20 Internationals, Starc was not part of the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where Australia exited in the first round.

With Australia set to play up to 21 Tests between August 2026 and July 2027, managing player fitness has become a top priority. As a result, several key players may join their IPL teams later than expected.

The IPL 2026 season is scheduled to begin on March 28 and run until late May, but the early matches could see teams missing some of their biggest international stars.