Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has revealed that his decision to withdraw from the upcoming T20 World Cup was influenced by a desire to be fully fit for a monumental 2027 schedule. The star fast bowler has been replaced in Australia's squad for the tournament in Sri Lanka and India by Ben Dwarshuis.
Injury Management Takes Priority
Cummins has been managing a persistent back injury since Australia's tour of the Caribbean in July. His only competitive match since then was the Ashes-clinching victory in Adelaide. Following that match, Cummins and the Australian team management made the strategic decision for him to sit out the final two Tests of the summer, initially with the T20 World Cup in mind.
However, a minor setback during his recovery altered those plans. "It was really unfortunate," Cummins told AAP. "I feel pretty good, just a minor setback and just ran out of time really." The bowler, who has a history of back issues early in his career, emphasised the importance of not risking his long-term health.
A Conservative Approach for the Long Haul
Cummins detailed the medical timeline that led to his withdrawal. "We knew after the Adelaide Test match we were going to need somewhere between four and eight weeks to let the bone settle right down before then building back up," he explained. "Initially, we thought it might only be four weeks, because I was feeling really good, but just had a follow-up scan. They thought it probably needs another couple of weeks, so the timeline just became a bit too tight."
The 32-year-old captain highlighted the unprecedented cricket schedule facing Australia, starting with home games against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay this August. This is followed by a Test tour of South Africa in September, four home Tests against New Zealand, and then a relentless period on the road leading into 2027.
The Monster Schedule Ahead
The upcoming 18-month period is particularly gruelling for the Australian team. Key fixtures include:
- A tour of India
- The pink-ball 150th anniversary match against England at the MCG
- An away Ashes series in England
- An ODI World Cup
- A potential World Test Championship final at Lord's
Cummins stated he did not want to be "chasing his tail" throughout this critical period. "We thought the first half of the year was a pretty good time to be conservative with the amount of cricket that's coming up," he said. "We'll get it right, then hopefully that will mean you won't have to worry about it, and you can just go out and play all those Test matches. Whereas, if you're not careful with it now and it flares up, you're chasing tail a bit."
Focus on IPL and Australian Squad Morale
Looking ahead, Cummins, who captains the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, hopes to be fit to lead his franchise when the competition begins on March 26. "We'll just be guided by my back," he noted. "We'll have another scan in a few weeks, and if it's good, then we'll have a slow build-up."
He also addressed the challenges of returning to T20 cricket compared to Tests. "T20s are a little bit easier to get up for than Tests," Cummins admitted, "that's why I was so close to getting up for this World Cup."
The Australian T20 squad faces a significant challenge, having been whitewashed 3-0 in a recent series against Pakistan. They will enter the World Cup without Cummins and the retired Mitch Starc, while Josh Hazlewood will miss the early stages of the tournament.
Despite these setbacks, Cummins expressed confidence in the team's morale. "It wasn't our greatest few games in Pakistan," he conceded, "but the guys are coming off a strong Big Bash, and a couple of guys are coming back from injury for the World Cup. Morale is good. Chatting to a few of the boys from afar... they know how big it is, they're desperate to get started and get into it."
