Pat Cummins May Skip IPL 2027? SRH Captain Prioritises Ashes, World Cup

Pat Cummins has not made a final decision yet, but the possibility is now out in the open. The Sunrisers Hyderabad captain has admitted he could skip IPL 2027 as Australia prepare for one of their busiest international schedules in recent memory. And if a choice has to be made, Cummins has already hinted where his priorities lie.

“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 Sydney Morning Herald.

For SRH fans, those words will be difficult to ignore. Cummins has become one of the franchise’s defining figures over the last few seasons. The Australian fast bowler, who earns ₹18 crore per year with Sunrisers Hyderabad, has brought stability to the side both as a leader and as one of the team’s biggest overseas stars. But the demands of international cricket are beginning to stack up.

Australia Face a Packed 2027 Schedule

Australia’s calendar next year leaves very little room to breathe.

The team is scheduled to tour India for a four-Test series in January and February. Soon after comes the historic 150th anniversary Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March. Then arrives an Ashes campaign, traditionally the most demanding assignment in Australian cricket.

And after all of that, there is still the ODI World Cup in southern Africa during October and November. For a fast bowler who will be 33 by then, the workload is impossible to ignore.

SRH Captain Leaves the Door Open

Cummins did not rule himself out of the IPL completely. Instead, he suggested the decision will be made much closer to the tournament after discussions with Sunrisers Hyderabad and a clearer picture of his physical condition.

“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,” he said.

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Back Injury Remains a Key Factor

Over the past year, Cummins has already been forced to manage a troublesome back issue. He played only the Adelaide Test during Australia’s most recent home Ashes summer and also missed the T20 World Cup while recovering.

Those experiences have made Cricket Australia increasingly cautious with its senior fast bowlers. That history appears to be shaping his thinking ahead of 2027.

International Cricket Remains the Priority

While he remains committed to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cummins made it clear that international cricket will come first when the final decision is taken.

“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,” he said.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the situation creates uncertainty but not panic. The franchise still has time before IPL 2027 arrives, and Cummins himself has left the door open.

For now, though, the message is clear. If Australia’s Test commitments and World Cup ambitions demand a sacrifice, the IPL could be the tournament that misses out.

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