Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, recently acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 8.6 crore at the IPL mini-auction, has confirmed that he will not be fully available for the 2026 season due to personal commitments. Inglis is set to get married in early April, while the IPL 2026 season runs from March 26 to May 31.
“I wasn’t expecting to be fully available this year,” Inglis told ABC Sport. “I’m getting married in early April. I watched a lot of the auction unfold, and initially, I went unsold. I thought, ‘Alright, I’m going to bed,’ and focused on the Ashes the next day. Then I woke up to messages about my selection. It was a bit of a surprise.”
Though Ricky Ponting, Inglis’ former coach at Punjab Kings, had hinted at his partial availability after the franchise released him, Inglis eventually sparked a bidding war at the auction. Lucknow Super Giants outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad, reuniting him with Justin Langer, his coach at Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League.
PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia revealed that the franchise had intended to retain Inglis until he informed them shortly before the deadline about his limited availability. “Josh only told us 45 minutes before the retention deadline that he was getting married and would only be available for a few games,” Wadia told The Hindu. “We wish him well, but the timing wasn’t very professional. Knowing the deadline, it would have been better to communicate earlier.”
Inglis made a strong impression in his debut IPL season, slotting in as a game-changer for Punjab Kings. He scored 278 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.88 and a strike rate of 162.57, including a match-winning 73 off 42 balls against Jasprit Bumrah’s Mumbai Indians in Jaipur. Across his T20 career, Inglis has amassed 3,853 runs in 152 innings at an average of 29.86 and a strike rate just under 150.
Despite limited IPL availability next season, Inglis remains a key figure for Australia, and Lucknow Super Giants will likely factor in his personal commitments when planning their squad.
