Pat Cummins Eyes IPL Return Ahead of WTC Final and Caribbean Tour

Australian captain Pat Cummins has set his sights on the Indian Premier League (IPL) for his comeback from an ankle injury and hopes to regain his captaincy spot for the forthcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Cummins suffered with ongoing pain in his left ankle throughout the last Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. The chronic niggle became worse after Australia's dramatic last-day victory at the MCG, eventually ruling him out of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Despite the pacer being scheduled to sit out the Sri Lanka series because of personal reasons—his wife Becky had given birth to their second child, daughter Edi, on the first Test day at Galle—he confessed he could only catch glimpses of Usman Khawaja's milestone double-century.

"It's been a great month, just worrying about family and not training or tours coming up," Cummins said to cricket.com.au. "Being present has really been special."

To see Australia in action from the side was an unfamiliar experience for Cummins. "It was bizarre to see the Sri Lanka series on television as I have not done so for years. The boys were fantastic—near-perfect. It was a pleasant experience sitting back and enjoying the game like a spectator," he furthered.

Now, with IPL 2025 around the corner, Cummins is back to running and rehabilitation, hoping to fulfill his AU$3.7 million contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad, last year’s runners-up.

“Ankle is improving, IPL return likely”

"The ankle is healing well," Cummins said. "It's not like a hamstring injury that needs a fixed recovery period. It mainly required rest. I’ve been working on strengthening it in the gym and slowly rebuilding."

"For a fast bowler, it is a gradual process—you begin by running, then bowling, and you gradually increase. We just ran out of time for Pakistan."

Despite the setback, Cummins promised that the injury is not an ongoing issue but one that needs to be handled with care. "A break now should stand me in good stead for the next year or so," he added.

Australia's Test heroes featuring in the IPL such as Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Josh Inglis, and Travis Head will have plenty of time to recover before the WTC final with South Africa at Lord's on June 11. Cummins might get a maximum of three-and-a-half weeks of preparation if Sunrisers Hyderabad miss the playoffs.

He feels IPL's T20 high-intensity format will be the perfect precursor to the Test final and the follow-up three-match series in the Caribbean. "Bowling four-over spells in T20s is a perfect way to get up for the WTC final and Test cricket," he elaborated.

"I'll restart bowling next week gradually with a view to getting fit fully for IPL. The advantage of playing T20s is that it has got lot of high-intensity activity, which prevents a break in bowling rhythm. At 30, I feel that the body has become attuned to workload over time," he further stated.

Criticism and Preparation Before the Ashes

Cummins and the Australian squad were criticized for their preparation in the run-up to the last Test series against India, with some criticizing his choice to go to a Coldplay concert rather than play an ODI against Pakistan.

But his decision to miss a white-ball tour of the UK for a tailored pre-season paid dividends—Cummins finished Australia's top wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 25 scalps at an average of 21.36, second only to Jasprit Bumrah's 32 wickets at 13.06. Australia also won the 3-1 series.

Looking to the future, Cummins has sat out of Major League Cricket (MLC) for this year. After the Caribbean tour, Australia has white-ball series against South Africa, New Zealand, and India ahead of the 2025-26 home summer.

As for Ashes preparation, Cummins remains undecided on whether he will follow a similar pre-season routine. "Last year, a break helped me feel the freshest and strongest I’ve ever been," he said. "For a fast bowler, it’s not just about skill—it’s about ensuring you’re physically at your best. We’ll reassess later this year."

With a vital few months on the horizon, Cummins is concerned with balancing his workload, getting back to full fitness, and captaining Australia in their title defense of the WTC final.