Pat Cummins bowling again as he eyes IPL and World Test Championship returns

Cummins, who serves as Australia’s Test and ODI captain, was sidelined from the ongoing Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury sustained during the Test series against India. However, he informed ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday that he has begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation.

“The ankle is all in good shape, I’ve been able to give it a solid rest and gradually build it back up, which is something you don’t get to do when you’re constantly playing cricket,” Cummins shared. “It feels as strong as it has in quite some time. I should be fine for the IPL; that’s the goal. I’ll have a few weeks of bowling to rebuild, and hopefully, I won’t have to think about it for a while.”

Cummins, who is an ambassador for Prime, the exclusive broadcasters of the Champions Trophy in Australia, indicated that his ankle management has been an ongoing challenge, particularly after it became more problematic during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

“We’ve decided against surgery or any major interventions; it’s mostly just been about rehabilitation,” he explained. “Having this break has allowed me to receive a few cortisone injections and really focus on my rehab over the last couple of weeks.”

Cummins is optimistic about increasing his workload during the IPL and aims to fully participate in the three-Test series against the West Indies that will follow the WTC final. However, he might miss some of Australia’s white-ball matchups leading up to the Ashes, including five T20Is in the West Indies, followed by series against South Africa, New Zealand, and India, before facing England in late November.

“Sometimes, by skipping a tour, you actually end up playing more cricket throughout the year,” he mentioned. “In the past, you would play everything, but now, we make sure that players remain at their best for as long as possible and participate in the most significant matches each year. It’s simply the reality we all have to adapt to.”

“[Nathan] has consistently been valuable because he can bowl at any stage,” Cummins noted. “He doesn’t need the new ball to create a significant impact; he can perform well both in the middle overs and at the end.”

“He’s been on almost every Australian tour for the last four years carrying drinks. Thus, we’ve recognized his quality, and for him to score two hundreds in various formats in just a month is incredible,” Cummins said. “He’s exceptionally dynamic. He can bat anywhere in the order, handle spin effectively, and also finish an innings with a variety of shots. He’s truly stepping into a prime phase of his career.”

“At this moment, I think we should consider all options,” he added. “[Inglis and Carey] are two of the most in-form players. They’re both right into that ODI side now, and that’s not a problem. We’ve previously picked two allrounders and two keepers in Sri Lanka. I see no reason why they can’t coexist if they’re both scoring runs.”

After the Champions Trophy, the next significant white-ball competition for men is next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, followed by the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Australia will be looking to defend the title they secured in India, and Cummins still aims to lead the team at that event.

“It approaches quickly; we’re almost halfway there,” he remarked. “That is certainly a topic we have been discussing. Obviously, when it’s far off, Test cricket and other events take precedence. But as it draws closer, it will become more of a focal point.”