Will Pat Cummins be available for 1st South Africa ODI?
What's the story
Australia's ODI captain Pat Cummins is likely to miss the first match against South Africa in Durban on Thursday, as per Cricinfo. He arrived later in South Africa than Mitchell Starc, with Australia's Test quicks being managed across the three-game series. The decision comes as their preparation for an upcoming Test series is prioritized over the ODIs.
Preparation strategy
Cummins, Starc to be managed across 3 ODIs
Cummins and Starc both missed the ODI tour of Zimbabwe as part of their preparation for the upcoming Tests against South Africa.
The three-match ODI series in Durban, Johannesburg, and Potchefstroom is crucial for Australia ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
However, the trio of quicks won't be pushed through all three games over seven days with more vital Tests to follow in the race for the World Test Championship final.
Game strategy
Cummins hinted at playing just one ODI ahead of Tests
Cummins had hinted last month that he could play as few as one of the ODIs leading up to the Test series.
Josh Hazlewood played just one in the three-match Zimbabwe series as part of a management plan.
It's possible that he and Starc could play the first and third ODIs in South Africa, with Cummins playing only the middle game.
Player performance
What happens to Nathan Ellis?
Nathan Ellis was Australia's best bowler in Zimbabwe and could play all three ODIs in South Africa if the appearances of the three Test quicks are staggered.
Starc acknowledged Ellis's push to be in Australia's first-choice ODI XI for next year's World Cup.
However, how Ellis can play when all three are available is a key question given his role as a first-change, back-end of the powerplay, middle-overs and death specialist.
Captaincy challenge
Will Cummins lead as ODI captain?
Cummins is Australia's official ODI captain but has only led in two games since the 2023 World Cup.
Mitchell Marsh has taken over as the ODI deputy since Steven Smith's retirement in 2025.
It remains to be seen how many games Cummins will play and lead ahead of the 2027 edition, given his heavy Test load.