Talismanic fast bowler Pat Cummins will not be part of Australia’s squad for the tour of Scotland and England due to his workload management. Cummins has been one of those Australian players who plays all formats of the game.
However, he will be on a long break after the selectors decided to rest him ahead of a gruelling five-match Test series against India later this year. It will be a massive series for both Australia and India, who will be looking to add crucial points to their World Test Championship (WTC) tally.
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Pat Cummins takes eight-week break
While speaking to Fox Cricket, Cummins welcomed the much-needed break as he has been bowling non-stop since the WTC final last year.
He accepted that the break would give him much-needed time to recover and come back stronger for the home summer, which included the ever-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
“Everyone who comes back after a break is a bit fresher, you never regret it. I’ve basically been playing non-stop since the World Test Championship final, almost 18 months ago. That gives me a good seven or eight weeks off to let the body recover, then you start preparing again for the summer.
In the last 18 months, Pat Cummins led Australia in two ICC tournaments, the WTC Final and the ODI World Cup Final. He led Australia to title wins in both tournaments and created history.
Rest makes you “less susceptible to injury,” says Pat Cummins
The 31-year-old also mentioned the benefits of taking a break, saying he may now be less prone to injuries and will be able to play for a longer period.
“That means you’ll hopefully be able to play for a little bit longer, keeping up the pace is a little bit easier and it makes you less susceptible to injury,” he added.
Australia will play three T20Is in Scotland before travelling to England for a three-match T20I series and a five-match ODI series. Cummins has not been selected for any of them due to his workload.
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are part of the squads
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc will only play the ODI leg of the tour and has been rested for all T20Is. Josh Hazlewood is part of the T20I and ODI squads. Mitchell Marsh will lead Australia in both the ODIs and T20Is.
Pat Cummins has been a key player for Australia in recent years. He has an excellent track record as Australia captain, having led them to titles in the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup, both in 2023 against India.
The right-arm fast bowler is considered a workhorse in Test cricket. Cummins is one of the best bowlers in Test cricket right now with 269 wickets in 62 Tests at an incredible average of 22.53.
Not just in Tests, but he will be crucial to Australia’s plans for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is due to be held in February-March next year. Cummins is likely to lead the team in the tournament.
