New Delhi: Sam Curran has opened up on the thigh injury that ruled him out of IPL 2026, admitting that the problem had been mounting for a while before he finally forced a “difficult decision” to withdraw.Go beyond boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!The England all-rounder, who was set to represent Rajasthan Royals after a trade move, pulled out just ahead of the tournament after the T20 World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals.Curran revealed that he was suffering from an injury during the global tournament. “It’s an injury I’ve been struggling with a bit. It’s gotten progressively worse,” he said in a chat with the BBC.Read also: ‘Two-year ban doesn’t work’: Sunil Gavaskar calls for stricter rules for IPL drawdownPost-tournament examinations confirmed the extent of the damage. He added: “I had several tests done, and it showed reasonable damage, so I had to make the difficult decision. It was holding me back a bit.”
The 27-year-old said missing out on the Indian Premier League was particularly frustrating given his excitement about joining a new franchise. “Missing the Indian Premier League was very disappointing… but now I have a block of rehabilitation to try to get strong and fit,” he noted.The focus shifts to recoveryCurran is now undergoing rehabilitation in England and admitted the timetable for his return remains uncertain. “It will all depend on the symptoms. Obviously it is still a long way from that,” he said, casting doubt on his participation in the upcoming local missions.
He is also unlikely to feature immediately for Surrey and remains uncertain about leading the side in the T20 Blast. “This is probably the first time I’ve done a rehab stint in England,” he said.Despite the setback, Curran remained realistic. “It will be difficult to watch the Indian Premier League because I know I would love to be there, but injuries are part of sports,” he added.Rajasthan have since appointed Dasun Shanaka as their replacement for this season.Curran’s withdrawal adds to a growing list of notable absentees this year, underscoring the financial burden of a busy cricket calendar.