Sunrisers Hyderabad announced on April 16 that David Payne will miss the rest of the IPL 2026 Season. The English left-arm fast bowler suffered a serious ankle injury after playing only two matches for SRH.
The franchise shared the official announcement through their social media accounts on Thursday. They wished Payne a speedy recovery after he joined their growing list of injuries. Now, SRH faces the difficult task of finding another replacement bowler while the tournament is in full swing.
David Payne Performance So Far
The 35-year-old bowler joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad as an injury replacement. He replaced Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards, who had to leave the tournament earlier this season due to a foot injury. The team signed Payne for Rs 1.5 Crore to strengthen their pace bowling attack.
During his short stay, Payne appeared in only two games. He made an immediate impact in his first match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In that game, he acted as an Impact Substitute and took 2 wickets for 35 runs in three overs. Specifically, he took the wickets of Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma on back-to-back deliveries.
However, his second match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) proved more challenging. He gave away 35 runs in just two overs and no wickets. Despite that, SRH won the match.
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Sunrisers Hyderabad Injury Crisis
The 2016 champions are currently dealing with a series of unfortunate injuries. Before Payne’s exit, England all-rounder Brydon Carse was also ruled out of the season. Carse suffered a hand injury during a net session at the very start of the campaign and did not get to play a single match.
SRH acquired Sri Lankan fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka as a replacement for Carse. Adding more to their misery, the team’s designated captain, Pat Cummins, has been away from the squad for several weeks. Cummins traveled back to Sydney to undergo scans for a back stress injury.
In the absence of Cummins, Ishan Kishan has stepped up to lead the side. Under Kishan’s leadership, the team has performed well despite the missing star players.
Positive News For SRH: Pat Cummins Set to Return
While David Payne’s departure is sad news, the Sunrisers have received a boost in their captain search. Pat Cummins has been cleared by medical staff to rejoin the team. His latest back scans in Sydney showed that his stress issue has resolved.
Therefore, Cummins is expected to return to India on Friday. The bowler is targeting a return to the playing eleven against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on April 25.
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Current Standings and Payne’s Replacement
Despite the injuries, Sunrisers Hyderabad have secured fourth place with four points on the IPL 2026 points table. The team has won two out of their five matches. While several other teams also have four points, SRH stays ahead because of a superior net run rate.
The team enters their next match with confidence after a big win over the Rajasthan Royals. During that victory, debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain both took four wickets to lead the team to success.
Meanwhile, the franchise has not yet named a replacement for David Payne. They may choose to wait and see how their current pace attack performs in the next few games before making a final decision.
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