Pat Cummins Hopes to Play Every Test in Australia’s Busiest-Ever Schedule

Australia captain Pat Cummins has set his sights on playing the entirety of the national team’s most congested 12-month period on record, which will feature up to 21 Test matches.

Cummins, who recently returned from the IPL after being sidelined for four months with a back injury, says his body is feeling “awesome” following a recent scan. The 33-year-old will gradually increase his bowling loads throughout June and July in preparation for a grueling schedule that begins with two home Tests against Bangladesh in August.

The packed calendar also includes-

• A return to South Africa for the first time since the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering scandal
• A legacy-defining tour of India
• The Ashes in England
• A home series against New Zealand
• The 150th anniversary Test at the MCG
• A potential World Test Championship final at Lord’s

While the “big three” of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood typically aim to feature in every home Test, Cummins acknowledged that this unprecedented run may require rotation.

“It’d be very surprising if the same three bowlers played in 21 of the Tests… there might be a little bit of chopping and changing,” Cummins admitted. “It’s kind of unprecedented.”

The skipper, who missed much of last year’s Ashes due to injury, believes his reduced workload over the past 12 months could work in his favor. “The lucky thing is I haven’t played much in the last year or so, so I’m actually coming in physically as good as I possibly could be.”

Cummins confirmed that white-ball cricket will take a backseat, with a BBL cameo this summer “less likely than ever.” He also backed the 35-year-old Hazlewood, who missed the entire Ashes due to hamstring and Achilles injuries, to remain a realistic option for regular Test cricket after helping RCB win the IPL final.

                                               

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