Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh has now been given the go-ahead to play in the IPL for his new team, the Lucknow Super Giants, as a batter. He’s set to travel early next week even though he missed the Champions Trophy because of a back injury.
On another positive note for IPL teams, Australian fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are expected to be ready for action from day one of IPL 2025, which starts on March 23. According to ESPNCricinfo, these players should be fit and ready, despite having missed the recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for various reasons, and with Australia falling short of making the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Marsh was forced to sit out the ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy on January 31 due to “lower back pain and dysfunction.” This injury, linked to a disc problem he’d been managing since the UK limited-overs tour in September 2024, ultimately ended his domestic season.
Australian Stars Gear Up for IPL Amid Injury Recoveries and Sheffield Shield Clash
Cummins told ESPNCricinfo last month that his ankle feels strong again after a flare-up following the Border-Gavaskar series, and he’s set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad once more.
Starc also had a minor ankle problem during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka but is available to play for the IPL after missing the Champions Trophy. He will be playing for Delhi Capitals this season after being purchased for US$1.4 million, following an impressive performance as player of the match in last year’s final for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Hazlewood attracted the highest bid among Australians at the auction after missing last season, when he was snapped up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for US$1.49 million. However, he’s had a tougher summer with side and calf injuries, the latter evolving into a hip problem that kept him out of the Champions Trophy.
In addition, all of Australia’s other IPL players are set to focus on the tournament rather than the Sheffield Shield, even though five states still have a chance to make the Shield final. Last season, Matthew Wade chose to play the Shield final for Tasmania, which caused him to miss the start of the Gujarat Titans’ campaign.
Meanwhile, South Australians Travis Head (playing for Sunrisers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (with Delhi Capitals), and Spencer Johnson (for KKR) are all heading to the IPL, even though South Australia has already qualified for the Shield final scheduled to begin on March 26. Additionally, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis, and Aaron Hardie will join Punjab Kings to play under Ricky Ponting.
