Sydney, Jan 3 (UNI) Australia is weighing up the option of carrying Pat Cummins into the latter stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup even if his ongoing back injury prevents him from featuring in the opening phase of the tournament in India and Sri Lanka.
According to Cricket Australia, the Test skipper was named in Australia’s provisional 15-member squad on Thursday, but will be closely monitored as he continues rehabilitation from a bone stress injury.
Cummins has played just one competitive match since July, the Adelaide Ashes Test in December, where he claimed three wickets in each innings while leading Australia to retain the Ashes.
The fast bowler is scheduled to undergo a scan later this month to assess whether that appearance has affected his recovery and to determine his availability for the World Cup.
His situation has prompted Australian management to consider a strategy similar to the one adopted with Travis Head during the 2023 ODI World Cup, when Head joined the squad midway through the tournament after recovering from a fractured hand.
Under ICC regulations, teams must select their playing XI from a 15-player squad, with replacements permitted only in cases of injury. Once replaced, a player cannot return to the squad.
Selecting Cummins without certainty over his early availability would effectively leave Australia operating with a 14-man squad for the initial matches. The final squad must be submitted to the ICC by the end of January.
The gamble paid rich dividends in 2023, as Head marked his return with a century against New Zealand before producing a match-winning hundred in the final against India.
Fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood is also working his way back to full fitness after an Achilles issue during his recovery from a hamstring strain suffered in the Sheffield Shield.
While neither Cummins nor Hazlewood is expected to be available for the three-match T20I series against Pakistan prior to the World Cup, chair of selectors George Bailey remains optimistic about their involvement in the tournament.
“I don’t think they’ll be available for the Pakistan series, but I think that both should be online for the World Cup,” Bailey said.
“Patty might be a bit later. That might be a similar situation to Travis Head in the 50-over World Cup, where there’s an entry point at some point. Hopefully we can manage and carry him in the squad until that point. I think ‘Hoff’ should be right by the start.”
Bailey acknowledged the risks involved but highlighted Australia’s depth in all-rounders and spin bowling as potential ways to balance the side should pace options be limited early on.
“You might get pushed in a corner and need to make an adjustment,” he said. “But the beauty is that in places like Colombo and Kandy, you can structure the team in different ways. We’ve got good all-round skills and spin options.”
Australia will face Ireland and Zimbabwe in Colombo, followed by matches against Sri Lanka and Oman in Kandy during the group stage.
Middle-order batter Tim David, sidelined with a hamstring injury while playing for Hobart Hurricanes, is also expected to be fit in time for Australia’s opening match against Ireland on February 13.
