From Harshit Rana to Mitchell Starc: Complete list of injured and unavailable players ahead of IPL 2026. Read

The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days away, but the pre-season hustle has been hit by a major wave of injuries and availability issues. The tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28, 2026, and already many franchises are scrambling to find replacements for their key stars. From high-profile Australian fast bowlers to emerging Indian talents, medical rooms are filling up faster than stadiums.

Players out of IPL 2026

For these players, the dream of lifting the IPL 2026 trophy is over even before the first ball is bowled.

• Harshit Rana(KKR): One of the most important Indian players. Rana was recently seen on crutches, after undergoing knee surgery following a ligament strain during the T20 World Cup warm-up in February. KKR have already looked towards tests to fill their domestic fast bowler spot.
• Nathan Ellis (CSK): A major blow to the death-bowling plans of the Super Kings. Ellis re-aggravated a hamstring injury during the One-Day Cup final in Hobart last week and has been officially ruled out.
• Sam Curran (RR): The England all-rounder, who was acquired from CSK in a mega trade, is facing an indefinite recovery period for a groin injury. His absence has left the Royals short of overseas all-round options.
• Jack Edwards (SRH): The Australian all-rounder was bought for ₹3 crore and was set to make his IPL debut, but a leg injury has ruled him out of the entire campaign.
• Atharva Ankolekar (MI): The young Mumbai Indians all-rounder is out for the entire season due to a torn meniscus during the Ranji Trophy.

Note: Mustafizur Rahman Will also be unavailable to KKR due to administrative and diplomatic reasons, due to which the franchise has Blessing Muzarabani Signed as a replacement.

Late players in the upcoming season

Many players will play for their respective franchises but not in the first match. Due to Cricket Australia’s careful workload management, some of the league’s most expensive stars will miss the opening stages.

• Pat Cummins (SRH): The SRH captain is still recovering from a lumbar strain injury in his lower back. In his absence, Ishan Kishan has been named the temporary captain for the preliminary games.
• Josh Hazlewood (RCB): Recovering from hamstring and Achilles problems, Hazlewood is expected to miss at least the first two games.
• Mitchell Starc (DC): Starc has been retained by CA for the initial part of the tournament to manage the workload for their heavy international schedule.

stars in doubt

Some of the key names are currently in a race against time to prove their fitness for the first week.

Also Read: IPL 2026: Here’s why KKR have no options for Harshit Rana and Matesha Pathirana