Australian skipper Pat Cummins is hopeful of making a return to the team during the three-match ODI series against India in September ahead of the ODI World Cup and is unlikely to take the field in South Africa series despite being named in the squad.
Pat Cummins sustained a wrist injury during the final test of the high-octane series in England and is currently under rehabilitation to get him fully fit for the mega event in India. The Australian skipper will join the squad during the South Africa series but his participation will depend upon his recovery from injury.
Speaking to the media, Pat Cummins revealed that the injury is not bad as he will travel to South Africa towards the end of the series and said that the wrist hurt a lot during his batting innings against England in the crucial fifth test and added that it is getting better with each day.
“It’s not too bad, I’ll head over to South Africa at the backend of that leg, but probably more those one-dayers ahead of the World Cup. Another few weeks and I’ll be right”.
“It hurt day one when I did it and hurt a lot when I was batting but didn’t think it was too bad. With each day it got a bit sorer, so knew it was probably bone as opposed to muscle,” Pat Cummins said.
The 30-year-old played all six test matches in the summer leading the team against India in the World Test Championship final followed by 5-match series against England. He will be leading the Australian team in the mega event India and apart from his captaincy, the all-rounder role will be crucial in India as he can bowl at real speed and also comes in handy with the bat.
Mitchell Marsh Has Always Been A Huge Member Of The Team – Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins hailed the new Australian T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh as a real leader in the team and recalled his brilliant century against England in Headingley and revealed that he worked too hard on himself in the last 12 months to get back to the red-ball cricket.
“He’s always been a huge member of the team. A real leader, Probably in the last few years it’s been his body that’s got in the way at times.
“What made that Headingley hundred so special wasn’t just getting himself back in the team, he had surgery, got told he might not be able to bowl again, but worked so hard over the last 12 months to give himself another shot at red-ball cricket. We were just all so happy for him,” Pat Cummins added.
Mitchell Marsh has been named as the skipper of the Australian T20 team for the three-match series against South Africa starting on August 30. Cricket Australia is looking at the Australian all-rounder as the full-time option to lead the team going into the 2024 T20 World Cup.