Pat Cummins SRH replacements: 3 players Orange Army can sign for IPL 2026

Pat Cummins potential replacements in SRH [Source: AFP Photo]

The IPL 2026 season is still a few months away, but SRH have already started to sweat on the fitness of their captain, Pat Cummins. Post the IPL 2025 campaign, Cummins has been nursing a back injury, and the right-arm pacer has been out of the Australian team as well for the last few months.

Recently, Cummins was ruled out of the T20 World Cup event as the Aussies suffered a massive injury-jolt, and while the Australian pacer is gearing up for the upcoming IPL, his fitness remains a major cause of worry.

In case he gets ruled out of the IPL as well, here are the 3 potential replacements SRH can sign to replace their star bowler.

Skillsets SRH will aim at to replace Cummins

For SRH, Cummins is a leader, and more than that, he is an exceptional bowler who has one of the sharpest cricketing minds. For the Orange Army, Cummins used to bowl at all situations (powerplay, middle-overs, death overs). Thus, the franchise will look to buy a player who possesses the same traits as Cummins.

Hence, here are 3 players who can be a perfect Cummins replacement in SRH for IPL 2026.

1) Sean Abbott

If SRH is looking for a perfect like-for-like replacement, then Sean Abbott is the way to go. He has similar traits and is deceptive with his bowling. Just like Cummins, he bowls at a hard length and is brilliant in the powerplay and in the middle overs.

Abbott is an experienced bowler in T20s and the right-armer boasts stellar stats in the game’s shortest format.

(Abbott in T20s)

• The wily pacer has played in 208 T20 matches and has 269 wickets with an average of 21.44 and an economy of 8.62. Known for his fiery pace, SRH should target the Aussie to replace an Aussie.

2) Gerald Coetzee

The South African pacer has suffered multiple injuries in the last two years, but if he is fit, then SRH will get an X-factor in the Proteas seamer. He can easily clock in excess of 145, and will offer a different dimension to their attack as none of SRH’s bowlers can scare the batters with sheer pace.

Just like Cummins, he, too, can hit the deck and can do it at a fiery pace, and moreover, he is a genuine wicket-taker in the T20 format.

(Coetzee in T20s)

• The economy is slightly on the higher side (8.91), but Coetzee has the wicket-taking ability, and it is evident with his stats. 101 wickets in 80 matches define his career. If SRH are aiming to get a bowler with the same skillset but with more pace, then Coetzee is the way to go.

3) Alzarri Joseph

What is Pat Cummins’ best skillset? It is his ability to hit the deck consistently and extract extra bounce to trouble the batters. This is what West Indian seamer, Alzarri Joseph, can replicate. He is tall like Cummins and generates awkward bounce which often induces outside-edge from the bat.

He has 62 wickets in 45 T20I matches for the Windies, and while the economy is slightly higher (9.24), he is a genuine wicket-taker, one SRH can rely on.

Final verdict

SRH will be sweating hard on Cummins’ fitness, and if he gets ruled out, the best possible replacement is Sean Abbott. He is a like-for-like Cummins replacement as the pacer possesses similar skillsets and will be useful as a new ball bowler and as a middle-overs specialist.

SRH needs a pacer who can take wickets in the middle-overs and Abbott has that ability, which the team can utilise in IPL 2026.