Massive blow to SRH, David Payne ruled out of IPL 2026 due to ankle injury

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have suffered a major blow in middle of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. SRH's star pacer David Payne has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 due to ankle injury.

SRH's David Payne ruled out of IPL 2026

The 35-year-old English left-arm fast bowler was brought into the squad for Rs 1.5 crore, as an injury replacement for Jack Edwards. However, Payne could only play two matches in the ongoing IPL season. His best show came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he took 2/35.

"David Payne has been ruled out of TATA IPL 2026 after sustaining an ankle injury. Wishing him a speedy recovery," SRH's official statement read.

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SRH will next face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. Talking about SRH's performance, they have won just two matches out of five in the ongoing season and are sitting at the fourth spot in the IPL 2026 points table. SRH recently registered a dominant 57-run win over the former champions Rajasthan Royals, marking their second win of the campaign. This impressive performance was fueled by clinical bowling displays from Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, both of whom claimed four-wicket hauls to dismantle the Royals' lineup.

Prior to this victory, SRH's only other success this season came against a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders side. However, their overall record remains inconsistent, as they have already suffered losses at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Lucknow Super Giants, and Punjab Kings.

ALSO READ: Body blow to CSK, star pacer ruled out of IPL 2026 due to injury

'Pat Cummins' boost for SRH

Despite the setback regarding Payne, SRH received a big boost with news of Pat Cummins’ recovery. The Australian star had been sidelined due to a stress injury, which required him to leave the tournament midway through the IPL 2026 season to undergo scheduled follow-up scans back home in Australia.

The franchise's primary captain is now expected to return to India on the 17th of the month to rejoin the squad. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been leading the side, guiding them to a respectable fourth place in the standings with a record of three wins and two defeats from their opening five matches.