Just before the start of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), two big shocks have hit the franchises. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will miss the services of their key players, Jack Edwards and Sam Curran, in the upcoming season.
Jack Edwards was all set to make his IPL debut with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), while Sam Curran was set for his maiden stint with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) following the high-profile trade deal which saw him, along with Ravindra Jadeja, move to the side from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
SRH and RR suffer blows ahead of the IPL 2026
Unfortunately, Edwards has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to an injury. The Australian all-rounder was bought for a whopping Rs 3 crore by the SRH at the mini-auction.
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A Cricbuzz report reads: “Jack Edwards has been ruled out of the tournament with an injury. The specifics of his injury are unknown at this point.”
At the same time, the Rajasthan Royals face a major setback as Sam Curran is also ruled out with a suspected groin problem.
Jack Edwards to miss entire season
Edwards, who represents New South Wales in domestic cricket, earned his maiden IPL contract after turning heads in the Big Bash League 2025-26 and Australia A’s one-day series against India A. Despite being an uncapped player at that time, Edwards became the only uncapped overseas player to be sold at the IPL auction.
However, the all-rounder made his Australian debut on the Pakistan tour in January 2026. Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans have fought hard for the Australian star, but Sunrisers Hyderabad secured him to strengthen their overseas lineup.
Sam Curran’s injury leaves the Rajasthan Royals in big trouble
Speaking about the Rajasthan Royals, Sam Curran’s injury comes as a huge blow. The 27-year-old was set to play for the Royals for the first time. RR had been planning to rely on the England all-rounder’s experience in the IPL 2026, but now the franchise must look for replacements at short notice.
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Curran has had an eventful IPL journey. He made his debut with Punjab Kings in 2019, then moved to CSK in 2020 and 2021, returned to PBKS in 2023 as the league’s costliest player at Rs 18.5 crore, and continued with them in 2024. CSK then bought him back for Rs 2.4 crore for IPL 2025, but he had a disappointing season with only 114 runs and a single wicket in five games.
Donovan Ferreira is likely to step in for Sam Curran
The Rajasthan Royals are now exploring replacement options. However, they have Donovan Ferreira, a powerful hitter and part-time off-spinner from South Africa, who can play the role of finisher. He was acquired by RR from the Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 1 crore.
Ferreira could provide some cover, but the team may still look for additional overseas all-rounders to fill the gap left by Curran. However, neither the RR nor the SRH made any official announcement regarding these blows ahead of the upcoming IPL 2026, starting on March 28.