Australia’s captain Pat Cummins hopes to be able to play through a very busy 12-month period in the team’s recent history; however, he believes that it is unrealistic to expect the Australian frontline pace trio to play in every Test match.
Cummins recently returned to the sport after four months of recovery from a back injury that prevented his Ashes preparation, and he said he is feeling great after getting scans done on his body before preparing for the enormous red-ball match schedule.
“I’m feeling fantastic,” Cummins said at a media event for Amazon Prime’s coverage of the Women’s T20 World Cup. “I’ve had my scans done, and everything is good, so now it’s on to the next step, which will be getting my body ready to bowl 20 overs in a day and then get up and do it again in a Test match.”
The Australian captain will progressively increase his bowling workloads in June and July to prepare for a full cricketing schedule starting with 2 test matches at home against Bangladesh in August.
Currently, Australia has a lot to look forward to over the next twelve months, with potentially up to 21 Tests scheduled. The period of these matches will likely be considered by many as defining for the team. Following the series against Bangladesh, the team will play host to New Zealand, play the 150th-anniversary Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and be in contention for the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s.
Following those events, the team will then travel to both India and South Africa on major overseas tours before heading to England to attempt to defend the Ashes. The Test played in South Africa will be Australia’s first return visit since the ball-tampering scandal at Newlands in 2018.
Despite all the cricket that will be played this year, Australian captain Pat Cummins is very hopeful he will play in all 21 Tests, as he has had significantly fewer cricketing commitments over the last year.
“The good part is that I haven’t had many games for probably a year, so I’m coming back in as good as I’ve ever been physically,” he said.
Cummins’ hope to be able to play in all of the 21 Tests this year, with his bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and he being part of the pace attack, is unlikely to happen.
“I hope I play all of them, but I know that there will be some things along the way,” said Cummins. “It would surprise me if you have the same 3 bowlers playing the whole 21 Tests. There will be some changing and chopping around; it’s quite unusual.”
The depth of pace in the squad could also again play a key role, with Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson and Brendan Doggett already able to fill in during injury absences last summer during the Ashes.
Cummins also alluded to white-ball cricket being put aside for Test cricket, making him less likely to appear in the Big Bash League.
He will continue to be a valued part of Australia’s test setup as well as his recovery from both his hamstring and Achilles injuries during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL-winning campaign.
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