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The IPL 2026 tournament has experienced an increasing number of international players who return to their home countries for medical evaluations of their injuries. The home boards of players who sustain injuries through the season usually request their return to home country. The national teams of the players who returned home include many of their key players. The current season has three important cases which demonstrate this ongoing behavior.

 

SRH captain Pat Cummins, Punjab Kings all-rounder Cooper Connolly, and RCB batter Phil Salt all returned to their home countries Australia and England during IPL 2026 for scans and rehabilitation after getting injured. This article explains the three main reasons why players choose this seemingly drastic move instead of staying in India for treatment.

 

The example of KKR all-rounder Cameron Green demonstrates this point. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane received inquiries about Green's bowling return date from reporters during the early season. He replied in three words: “Ask Cricket Australia.”

 

Later reports revealed that Cricket Australia had prepared a bowling comeback plan for Green and shared it with KKR. Cricket Australia used the same method to create their bowling plan for Australia's main fast bowlers.

 

Mitchell Starc from Delhi Capitals and Pat Cummins from SRH and Josh Hazlewood from RCB needed Cricket Australia authorization to join their IPL teams. Starc has played only one match while Cummins has played three matches and Hazlewood has played six matches during the current season.

 

All three suffered injuries during or after the Ashes, which occurred between the last week of November 2025 and the first week of January 2026. Cricket Australia also prevented Cooper Connolly from bowling because they needed to conduct back scans in Perth after they brought him back from his studies.

 

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) implements a matching procedure to the one used by World Rugby. The situation became obvious when Phil Salt completed his finger examination in the UK after experiencing his injury. 

 

CA and ECB are not alone in taking such precautions. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) stopped at least two players from playing in IPL 2026 by blocking their NOC (No-Objection Certificate) requests which included RCB's Nuwan Thushara and LSG's Wanindu Hasaranga. 

 

Players Trust The Medical Ecosystem Back Home More:

 

Players prefer to use their home country's medical facilities because they find those systems more trustworthy. The IPL franchises which receive support from wealthy owners enable players to access advanced medical services while they compete in India. 

 

Many cricketers depend on their personal physicians for medical advice, but they also trust the board-appointed doctors for their treatment needs. The board-managed medical process guarantees that athletes will receive comprehensive medical treatment until they achieve complete health restoration.

 

The national teams do not allow overseas players to return from injuries unless they have fully recovered. IPL franchises, however, want their million-dollar players to deliver maximum value from their first day with the team.

 

Insurance Coverage, Contracts And Liability Issues:

 

The recovery process for injuries will depend on the available insurance coverage and the specific contractual agreements. Players who seek medical care from outside treatment facilities will face complications with their insurance coverage.

 

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Each board establishes its insurance arrangements through partnerships with domestic healthcare providers. The violation of those terms will result in liability issues.

 

Insurers typically refuse to cover treatment expenses which occur outside their permitted treatment facilities. English and Australian insurance companies will not pay for medical services which Indian doctors provide. 

 

If players break their central contract with insurance rules, they face both legal consequences and breach-of-contract accusations. The centrally contracted stars from England and Australia face this particular risk which they choose to avoid.