In IPL 2026, there has arguably been a new trend of foreign players returning home for injury scans. Every time players get injured, their host boards call them back. Many of the players who return home for scans are often among the most important players on their national teams. This year, there have been three very key examples of this happening.

SRH captain Pat Cummins, Punjab Kings all-rounder Cooper Connolly and RCB batsman Phil Salt have returned to their respective countries (Australia and England, respectively) from IPL 2026 for scans and rehabilitation after getting injured.

In this article, we will look at the three key reasons why players take this potentially drastic step rather than staying in India for treatment.

Cricket boards control medical decisions of centrally contracted star players

The most obvious example of this scenario is KKR all-rounder Cameron Green. Very early in the season, KKR Ajinkya Rahane was asked when exactly Green would be fit to bowl again. He responded in three words: “Ask Cricket Australia.”

Later reports showed that CA had charted a path for Green to return to bowling and also shared it with KKR. CA did something similar with Australia’s ‘Big Three’ fast bowlers.

Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals), Pat Cummins (SRH) and Josh Hazlewood (RCB) had to receive permission from Cricket Australia before joining their IPL teams. As a result, Starc played only 1 match, Cummins only 3 and Hazlewood only 6 matches in this IPL.

All three were injured during or after the Ashes, which took place from the last week of November 2025 to the first week of January 2026. Cricket Australia had also stopped Cooper Connolly from bowling and recalled him back to Perth for scans on his back.

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has a similar policy in this regard. This was illustrated when Phil Salt went to the UK to have a scan on his finger after his injury.

CA and the ECB are not the only boards taking this careful approach. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also blocked the NOC (No Objection Certificates) of at least two players (RCB’s Nuwan Untilhara and LSG’s Wanindu Hasaranga) and prevented them from participating in IPL 2026.

Players trust the medical ecosystem at home More

Naturally, all players will have an affinity for the ecosystem present in their home countries. Even when they are present in India for the IPL, they will easily have access to the best healthcare facilities in India, courtesy of the billionaire owners.

For most players, however, the comfort of their own medics, especially those with their own boards, is non-negotiable. When treated by the board, players can also be sure that their needs are fully met, as the board wants a player in top form.

When playing for their national teams, these foreign players rarely return to the setup too soon. IPL teams, on the other hand, are often overly eager to get the full value of their million-dollar investments.

Insurance Coverage, Contracts and Liability Issues

As with many other things, players’ injury rehabilitation is also covered by insurance and specific terms of their contracts. When players receive outpatient treatment, issues arise regarding their insurance coverage.

Since each board has its own healthcare providers in their home country, they also have insurance companies operating from there. Violation of these terms raises liability issues.

In many cases, insurance companies do not cover medical help from sources they do not cover. It is almost impossible to find an English or Australian insurance company that covers a doctor in India.

When players violate the terms of their core contract set by insurance companies, they also open themselves up to litigation and breach of contract. For a centrally contracted player in a big cricket country like England or Australia, this is a risk he would rather not take.

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