New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) After Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc is also set to miss the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL), beginning March 28, with Cricket Australia opting for a cautious approach towards its premier fast bowlers ahead of a packed international schedule. Meanwhile, Jack Edwards has been ruled out due to foot injury.

Cummins has not played competitive cricket since the third Ashes Test in Adelaide in December 2025, after being out of action post the tour of the West Indies due to a lumbar bone stress injury in his lower back. He was subsequently ruled out of the remaining Ashes matches and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to the same issue.

Hazlewood, meanwhile, was out for the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles issues. Meanwhile, Starc played all five Ashes Tests and the back-end of the Big Bash League. He is, however, being managed by Cricket Australia after having bowled more balls in Test cricket than any other paceman over the course of the last 12 months.

Cricket Australia is taking a cautious approach with their star multi-format bowlers given that the Test side will play up to 21 matches in a 12-month period, including tours of South Africa, India and England, before defending their ODI World Cup crown in late 2027.

Starc (Delhi Capitals) and Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) are set to leave holes in their respective teams’ attacks to begin the tournament. In Cummins’ absence, India wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan will lead (SRH).

The trio’s availability will depend on progress in their return-to-play protocols over the next few weeks, as per cricket.com.au.

Moreover, SRH will also be missing Australian allrounder Jack Edwards after he picked up a foot injury.

The 25-year-old allrounder was signed up by SRH for Rs 3 crore at the last auction and would have made his IPL debut this season. He was the only uncapped overseas player to be signed up at the 2025 auction.

SRH will take part in the season opener on March 28 in Bengaluru, where they face off against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have suffered a big blow with pacer Nathan Ellis set to be ruled out of the competition after being unable to recover in time from a hamstring injury, the franchise’s CEO KS Viswanathan told reporters at an event in Chennai on Thursday.

Ellis has been revealed to have suffered a recurrence of the right hamstring injury he suffered in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.

Travis Head, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David are among the 16 Australians on IPL rosters for the 2026 season.

–IANS

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