IPL 2026 will be his first season.
Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly is at a critical point in his career. Recent numbers show that his T20 form has taken a concerning dip just as anticipation for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 builds. Once viewed as a strong middle-order player with finishing skills and a handy spin, Connolly has had trouble finding consistency in the past year.
After making a stupendous start to his T20 career, Cooper Connolly has scored only 293 runs in 23 T20 innings since June 2025, averaging 14.65 with a strike rate of 125.21. Although those figures include two half-centuries, they also highlight a recurring problem: getting starts but not converting them. For a player expected to make a difference in the middle and late overs, his lack of game-changing contributions are worrying concern.
The decline was clear during the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 season. Connolly scored 209 runs in 12 innings at an average of 19 and a strike rate of 139.22. On the surface, those numbers seem reasonable, but they tell a different story when examined closely. In his first two matches, batting at No.3, he scored 59 and 77, giving a brief impression of a breakout season. However, those innings turned out to be misleading.
In his next 10 BBL innings, the southpaw managed only 73 runs, averaging 8.11 with a strike rate of 89.02. The significant drop revealed issues with his technique and shot-making, especially against spin and slower balls, where he struggled to rotate the strike and often got out trying risky shots.
His international performance has been even more concerning. In the recent T20I series between Australia and Pakistan, Connolly scored just one run across three matches, lacking impact despite several chances. This dry spell continued into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where he garnered only 14 runs in two innings, averaging 14 at a strike rate of 116.66.
For a player once predicted to be a future T20 regular, these numbers raise doubts about his confidence and clarity of role. Cooper Connolly seems torn between anchoring an innings and playing aggressively, leading to risky shot selection and brief stays at the crease.
While Cooper Connolly’s batting has faced criticism, his bowling numbers present a much more promising picture. In the BBL, Connolly took 15 wickets in 11 innings with an average of 14.93 and an economy rate of 6.40. He often provided key breakthroughs in the middle overs.
Looking beyond the domestic league, since June 3, 2025, the left-arm spinner has taken 18 wickets in as many innings with an average of 22.77 while keeping a solid economy of 7.45. These stats highlight Connolly’s increasing value as a bowling all-rounder. In T20 cricket, maintaining control in the middle overs can be just as crucial as scoring quickly with the bat.
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With Glenn Maxwell withdrawing from IPL 2026, the Punjab Kings will rely heavily on Cooper Connolly to fill the middle-order void. Connolly brings left-handed balance and part-time bowling, something which PBKS desperately needs after Maxwell’s exit.
Despite his recent struggles, the franchise is expected to support Cooper Connolly with a clear role. They hope that reduced pressure will help him reach his potential on Indian pitches. If he finds his rhythm early, Connolly could play a key role in shaping PBKS’s IPL 2026 campaign.
As IPL 2026 approaches and team preparations begin, Cooper Connolly’s recent performance does not help his case as a dependable overseas T20 player. Unless he quickly regains his rhythm and confidence, the Australian prospect risks being seen as more potential than actual success, a label that can be hard to shake in the cutthroat world of franchise cricket.
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