Speculation is rising that Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood could miss IPL 2027 as Cricket Australia prioritizes their fitness for a packed international calendar, including the WTC Final and 2027 ODI World Cup, impacting IPL teams.
As the IPL 2026 just concluded, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defending their maiden triumph by defeating the Gujarat Titans in the final, the cricket world is already shifting its focus toward the high-stakes international calendar of 2027, which is likely to consist of a gruelling schedule that includes the World Test Championship Final and a demanding tour of the subcontinent.
The 19th IPL season witnessed a participation of overseas players who were picked up or retained by the franchises, as the tournament received a 2-month window from the International Cricket Council (ICC), meaning no bilateral series or major ICC tournaments were scheduled during this period, allowing for full participation.
The last IPL season saw players navigating a turbulent schedule, heavily disrupted by the mid-season security crisis and border tensions in 2025. Following these events, and the subsequent military success of ‘Operation Sindoor’, any overseas stars left and struggled to return. Furthermore, South African players who had rejoined their franchises departed again before the playoffs to prepare for the WTC 2025 final.
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The IPL 2027 Looms Large Over International Priorities
Though the 20th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is still 9 months away, speculation is already mounting regarding the availability of Australia’s premier pace trio. The likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood have been the subject of intense internal debate, as Cricket Australia weighs the commercial appeal of their participation against the physical toll of a year-long international campaign.
Recently, Cricket Australia has offered a three-year contract extension with an increase in their annual retainer fees to Pat Cummins and Travis Head, aimed at potentially offsetting the massive potential earnings they would forgo by skipping the IPL. Since the T20 leagues have become exceptionally large, the board is making an unprecedented financial commitment to ensure their star players remain tethered to the Australian team’s core objectives.
Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood form a core pace bowling attack for Australia in Tests and ODIs, and their availability will define the sustainability of the team’s bowling rotation during a year that demands peak performance across multiple formats.
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Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc missed the first half of the recently concluded IPL season due to respective injuries, while Josh Hazlewood joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad late, following an extended recovery program for hamstring and Achilles tendon issues.
Australia’s pace bowling trio is currently at a crossroads where the demands of an unprecedented international calendar are increasingly clashing with the lucrative commitments of franchise cricket.
Why Hazlewood, Starc, and Cummins May Miss IPL 2027?
The next season of the Indian Premier League may not witness Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins in action, as Cricket Australia wants to priortize their long-term physical fitness and availability for a grueling 21-Test international cycle leading into the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Australia head coach Matthew McDonald recently confirmed that the board is managing the bodies of three quicks, as they set their eyes on the WTC Final and the marquee event, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. By 2027, Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc will turn 34, 36, and 37, respectively, and thus the focus of the national selection panel has shifted toward protecting their remaining peak years.
Between August 2026 and the start of the IPL 2027, Australia is scheduled to play 15 Test matches, and with Cricket Australia desperate to make a third consecutive WTC Final at Lord’s, they want their core bowling attack fully fit and rested. Thereafter, Australia’s focus will be shifted towards its ODI World Cup title defence, making the calculated risk of an injury-prone IPL season a luxury the team simply cannot afford.
If Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood decide to opt out of the IPL 2027 to manage their workloads, it will be a huge setback for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, respectively, as their departure would create a structural vacuum in both leadership and bowling discipline.
The Australian pace trio may be released by the franchises if they formally communicate their unavailability in advance. It remains to be seen whether Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood will prioritise their enduring legacy in the international arena over the immense financial pull of the IPL.
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