Just before the start of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), the franchise has suffered two major setbacks. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be without 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 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), while Sam Curran was set for his first stint with Rajasthan Royals (RR) after the high-profile trade deal that saw him brought into the squad along with Ravindra Jadeja from Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
SRH and RR have suffered a setback before IPL 2026
Unfortunately, Edwards has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to injury. The Australian all-rounder was bought by SRH in the mini-auction for Rs 3 crore.
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A report in Cricbuzz reads: “Jack Edwards has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. There is no information on his injury at this time.”
At the same time, Rajasthan Royals have suffered a big blow as Sam Curran is also out due to groin problem.
Jack Edwards will be out for the entire season
Edwards, who represents New South Wales in domestic cricket, earned his first IPL contract after impressive performances in the Big Bash League 2025-26 and Australia A’s one-day series against India A. Despite being an uncapped player at the time, Edwards became the only uncapped foreign player to be sold in the IPL auction.
However, the all-rounder made his Australian debut in January 2026 on the Pakistan tour. Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans fought hard for the Australian star, but Sunrisers Hyderabad secured him to strengthen their overseas lineup.
Rajasthan Royals are in big trouble due to Sam Curran’s injury.
Talking about Rajasthan Royals, Sam Curran’s injury is a big blow. The 27-year-old was set to play for the Royals for the first time. RR was planning to rely on the England all-rounder’s experience in IPL 2026, but now the franchise will have to look for a replacement at short notice.
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Curran’s IPL journey has been eventful. 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 most expensive player for Rs 18.5 crore, and remained with them in 2024. CSK then bought him back for IPL 2025 for Rs 2.4 crore, but he had a disappointing season with only 114 runs and one wicket in five matches.
Donovan Ferreira is likely to replace Sam Curran
Rajasthan Royals are now looking for replacement options. However, they have South Africa’s powerful hitter and part-time off-spinner Donovan Ferreira, who can play the role of finisher. He was bought by RR from Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 1 crore.
Ferreira can provide some cover, but the team may still look for additional overseas all-rounders to fill the gap left by Curran. However, neither RR nor SRH made any official announcement regarding these setbacks ahead of the upcoming IPL 2026 starting from March 28.