Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will miss a major portion of IPL 2026 after confirming his wedding in early April, impacting his availability for Lucknow Super Giants.

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Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 8.6 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, has confirmed that he will not be fully available for the upcoming season due to personal commitments. The Indian Premier League 2026 is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 31, but Inglis will miss a significant portion of the tournament as he is set to get married in early April.

Speaking to ABC Sport, Inglis explained that his partial availability influenced how the auction unfolded. He revealed that he did not expect to be picked initially after seeing his name go unsold and switched his focus to preparations for the Ashes. Inglis later discovered he had been bought after receiving messages the following morning, admitting that his upcoming wedding made full participation in the IPL impossible this season.

Despite concerns over his availability, Inglis triggered a bidding war once he re-entered the auction, with Lucknow Super Giants eventually outbidding Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure his services. The move reunites Inglis with head coach Justin Langer, under whom he previously played at Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. Former Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting had earlier indicated that Inglis’ limited availability played a role in the franchise’s decision to release him ahead of the auction.

Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia expressed disappointment over the timing of Inglis’ communication regarding his availability. Speaking to The Hindu, Wadia said the franchise had intended to retain the Australian batter for IPL 2026 and was informed only 45 minutes before the retention deadline that Inglis would be available for just a couple of weeks. While questioning the professionalism of the late disclosure, Wadia wished Inglis well for his future career.

In his debut IPL season with Punjab Kings, Inglis made a strong impact as a middle-order batter, scoring 278 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.88 and a strike rate of 162.57. His performances included a match-winning 73 off 42 balls against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur, where he countered a Jasprit Bumrah-led attack. Overall, Inglis has scored 3,853 runs in 152 T20 innings at an average of 29.86 with a strike rate close to 150, underlining his value as a high-impact player despite his limited availability for IPL 2026.