Australia captain Pat Cummins says he might skip the 2026 Indian Premier League season to manage a heavy Test and ODI World Cup schedule.
The 33-year-old fast bowler has been a key figure for Sunrisers Hyderabad, earning $1.9 million per year over the last three IPL editions. But with four Tests in India, a 150th anniversary Test against England in Melbourne, and a full Ashes tour before the ODI World Cup in southern Africa, Cummins admits something has to give.
"The priorities for me are always the Test matches and that ODI World Cup," Cummins told the Sydney Morning Herald. He added he would decide closer to the time after consulting with his franchise.
Cummins has a history of managing his workload, having skipped the T20 World Cup due to a back injury. He also suggested that fellow fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc could be rested during the New Year's series against New Zealand to stay fresh for the Ashes.
"It's going to be a big push the next 18 months or so, but I think we'll look back on it hopefully and see it as one of the more rewarding periods of our career," Cummins said.