T20 World Cup: Pat Cummins breaks silence on his withdrawal
What's the story
Australia's Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has revealed that his decision to withdraw from the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India was partly due to his long-term fitness goals. The fast bowler has been suffering from a back injury since Australia's Caribbean tour last July. He was replaced by Ben Dwarshuis in the squad for the tournament.
Health focus
Cummins didn't want to jeopardize his long-term health
Cummins, who has battled back problems for years, said he didn't want to jeopardize his long-term health. "It was really unfortunate," he told AAP. "I feel pretty good, just a minor setback and just ran out of time really." He added that they had initially estimated a recovery period of four weeks after the Adelaide Test match, but later realized it would take longer.
Future plans
Australia's packed schedule ahead
Australia's cricketing calendar is packed with matches, starting with a home series against Bangladesh in August. After that, they'll tour South Africa for a Test series in September. They will return for four home Tests against New Zealand, before being on the road for much of 2027. "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," the 32-year-old said. He hopes to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2026 Indian Premier League when it begins.
Information
Cummins owns two T20I hat-tricks
The 2024 T20 World Cup saw Cummins become the first bowler to take back-to-back hat-tricks in T20I cricket. He accomplished the milestone against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Coming to his T20I numbers, he boasts 66 scalps across 57 T20Is at an economy of 7.44.
Team morale
Australia's recent form and World Cup concerns
Australia recently lost a three-match T20I series against Pakistan, raising questions about their World Cup performance. Cummins's absence and Mitch Starc's retirement from T20 internationals add to the uncertainty. However, he remains optimistic about his team's morale as they come off a strong Big Bash season with some players returning from injury for the World Cup.