Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins is set to lead the national cricket team on upcoming One-Day International (ODI) tours of South Africa and India, as well as the World Cup, despite suffering a fractured wrist. Cummins sustained the injury during the final Test of the Ashes series when he dove in the field on July 27. He continued to play in the Test match but will now require six weeks of recovery.
While Cummins will miss the three-match T20I series in South Africa that begins on August 30, Mitchell Marsh has been named as the captain for that series. However, Cummins is expected to join the team for the five-match ODI series starting on September 7. Marnus Labuschagne, who had played in Australia’s last nine ODIs and 30 games over the last three years, has been omitted from the ODI squad for the upcoming tours and the World Cup.
The Australia ODI squad for the tours includes two new faces: New South Wales legspinner Tanveer Sangha and Western Australia allrounder Aaron Hardie. Both players have yet to debut on the international stage, with Sangha having had to recover from stress fractures in his back since August last year. Hardie, on the other hand, has been a regular in Australia A squads for the past 18 months and has also been named in the T20I squad for the South Africa series.
Although Cummins will fly to South Africa ahead of the first ODI in Bloemfontein on September 7, it is uncertain whether he will be available to participate given the timeline for his recovery. In his absence, Mitchell Marsh is among the candidates being considered as captain for the ODI side. Steven Smith and Josh Hazlewood have previously taken on the role, while Alex Carey has also captained the ODI team.
Chair of selectors George Bailey sees Cummins’ injury as a positive due to his heavy workload during the Ashes series. He remains confident that there will be enough matches for Cummins to prepare for the World Cup, which begins on October 8. The 18-man squad will be trimmed to 15 in early September, with the final 15-man squad for the World Cup set to be announced on September 28.
Australian fans will be disappointed to see Glenn Maxwell miss the ODI series against South Africa to take paternity leave, although he will rejoin the squad for the three-match series in India starting on September 22, which runs straight into the World Cup.
In conclusion, despite his fractured wrist, Pat Cummins is expected to lead Australia on the upcoming ODI tours of South Africa and India, as well as during the World Cup. The squad will see two new additions in Tanveer Sangha and Aaron Hardie, while Marnus Labuschagne has been omitted. Mitchell Marsh will captain the T20I series in Cummins’ absence. With Cummins’ recovery timeframe, it remains uncertain if he will be available for the first ODI in South Africa. Nonetheless, selectors are optimistic about his preparation for the World Cup. The final 15-man squad for the World Cup will be announced on September 28.
