Australia captain Pat Cummins has declared himself fit for the upcoming fifth Test of the Ashes 2023 series against England to be played at the Oval in London from July 27 onwards. This will be his sixth Test in eight weeks despite concerns about his most recent performance.
Victory would achieve a 3-1 triumph while even a draw would ensure Australia’s first series victory in England for 22 years.
The captain, who will be the only Australian bowler to compete in all six Test matches, including the World Cup championship match, claims he is in better physical condition than he was during the previous Ashes tour four years ago, when Australia played the World Cup before the Test series.
“I remember turning up here in 2019 for the fifth Test, and I was wrecked. It’s probably the only time in my career where I thought I genuinely might not be able to play. But I still did a decent job then. And I feel in a much better position now.
There have been a couple of little breaks. Two matches on, bit of a break, two matches, bit of a break. I feel really well-placed. Starcy and Bolo [Scott Boland] and Joshy [Hazlewood] have all missed games. I feel like we’ve managed the resources really well and everyone is a pretty good spot,” Cummins was quoted by WA today.
Pat Cummins also believes the Oval pitch is similar to the one Australia played India on less than two months ago in the World Test Championship final.
“Everyone Should Be Alright”- Pat Cummins On Fitness Concerns Over Mitchell Marsh And Mitchell Starc
Apart from himself, Cummins also claimed that pacer Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Mitch Marsh are also good to go. Starc has been struggling with a shoulder problem after landing awkwardly during last week’s Old Trafford Test, which ended in a rain-soaked draw, while Marsh spent time off the field with “soreness”.
“Everyone should be alright. We’ll give it another 24 hours, but we expect he’d be able to bowl,” Cummins added.
Furthermore, he hinted that Todd Murphy might return to the XI, putting pressure on Cameron Green to hold onto his spot. “Nath Lyon’s got a very good record here, so I think that’ll be part of the conversation this week,” Cummins said.