KKR Pacer To Return After Six-Month Layoff As He Sets Sights On 2026 T20 World Cup

It’s been a torrid last six months for Australia’s Spencer Johnson, who, after four forgettable games for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), has been out with a severe back and disc injury. However, if all goes well, Johnson could return to action in the 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL), with the 29-year-old a key member of the Brisbane Heat set-up. 

There’s no guarantee that Johnson will return to action in BBL 15, but the left-arm pacer is confident that, should the scan results be positive, he can play ‘some part’ and make his return from this lengthy injury layoff.

"We're about halfway through the rehab and I've got a scan in the next few days," said Johnson, reported cricket.com.au.

"Fingers crossed it's positive and I'm looking forward to being back in the Big Bash in some capacity."

Johnson, who took 1 wicket at 133 and an economy of 11.74 in a forgettable IPL 2025 campaign for KKR, revealed how he found out about the injury he was carrying, and how things kept getting worse after the initial diagnosis.

"I got it scanned over in India, and they said you've got a bulging disc, and then by the way, you've got a stress fracture on your right side,” Johnson revealed.

"I kept going (at training) and then a couple of weeks later, it flared up a bit and I backed off.

"It then sort of settled down and I got back to Australia feeling pretty good. I was getting ready for the T20I series in the West Indies (in July), and it was just gradually getting worse and worse.

"We jumped back in the MRI scan, and unfortunately there was a decent size stress fracture."

The injury could not have come at a worse time for Johnson, who has ended up missing precious games on the road to the 2026 T20 World Cup. He is someone the Kangaroos would have hoped to groom, particularly with Mitchell Starc retiring from the shortest format, but this lengthy injury layoff means that the 29-year-old is no longer a certainty to be in the T20WC squad.

However, there is still time left to put his name in the hat, and Johnson is hopeful that he can hit the ground running quickly and somehow end up being part of the T20WC squad, something he believes will be a ‘dream come true’.

"If I'm on the park and bowling well, it's something I'd like to be a part of," said Johnson.

"Playing in a World Cup is a childhood dream.

"At the minute it's just making sure everything I do is getting myself ready for whenever I return – whether it's T20 World Cup or Big Bash, I'm just making sure I'm ready to go."