Rajasthan Royals coach questions England all-rounder’s commitment after he played county cricket despite claiming season-ending injury

Sangakkara’s sharp reaction

Kumar Sangakkara has openly questioned Sam Curran’s integrity after the England all-rounder pulled out of IPL 2026 with a supposed season-ending injury, only to turn up for Surrey weeks later. The Rajasthan Royals head coach did not hide his disappointment.

Speaking after his side’s Qualifier-2 loss to Gujarat Titans on Friday evening, Sangakkara said, “We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury, but I saw him play two or three games for Surrey. That was disappointing because we would have loved to have had him here with us.”

The former Sri Lankan captain’s remarks have reignited a long-standing debate over foreign player availability in the IPL. Curran, who was bought by Rajasthan Royals for a significant sum in the 2025 auction, left the franchise mid-season citing physical distress.

Shanaka fails to impress

After Curran’s sudden exit, the Royals brought in Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka as a replacement. However, the move did not pay off as expected. Shanaka managed only sporadic contributions with both bat and ball, and the team’s balance appeared affected during the crucial playoff stages.

Sources close to the franchise indicated that the management had banked on Curran’s experience in crunch situations. “When you lose a player of that calibre midway, it disrupts plans. The replacement option is never truly like-for-like,” a team insider said on condition of anonymity.

Call for stricter rules

Sangakkara used the opportunity to push for tighter contractual obligations. He acknowledged that genuine injuries are unavoidable but drew a line when players are seen competing elsewhere soon after.

“I think a proper, tight policy around that is always a requirement. BCCI has a strict policy on that. Every person goes through injuries. And if it’s a serious injury, a season-ending injury, of course, we understand,” he said.

“That’s the way it should continue – be very strict to make sure that contractual obligations are all met properly and genuinely. And I think every side in the IPL will benefit from that,” Sangakkara added.

His comments come at a time when the BCCI has already tightened norms. Under existing rules, any overseas player who withdraws after being sold in the auction faces a two-year ban from the tournament.

Punjab Kings owner echoes concern

Mohit Burman, co-owner of Punjab Kings, has separately voiced similar concerns. According to Burman, the BCCI and foreign cricket boards need better coordination to ensure that franchises are not left scrambling for replacements after the auction window closes.

“Player availability should be non-negotiable once the contracts are signed. We’ve seen multiple instances where teams have suffered because a marquee name pulls out at the last moment,” Burman was quoted as saying by team sources.

BCCI’s two-year ban rule already in place

The IPL governing council had introduced the two-year ban provision following repeated instances of overseas players skipping editions after being picked. Under the rule, any player who makes himself unavailable after the auction – barring extreme medical or national duty cases – cannot register for the next two seasons.

However, the rule does not explicitly address mid-season withdrawals citing injury, which is where the grey area remains. Curran’s case, as highlighted by Sangakkara, falls precisely into that gap.

What next for player availability debate?

With Sangakkara’s latest outburst, the spotlight is back on how IPL franchises can protect themselves from last-minute pullouts. While the BCCI’s existing framework is considered a deterrent, cases like Curran’s suggest that enforcement and verification of injury claims still need work.

The Royals, now knocked out, will head into the next auction with lessons learned. Whether the BCCI revisits its policy to include stricter medical verification for season-ending claims remains to be seen. For now, Sangakkara’s words have ensured the conversation will not fade quietly.