Cummins, Hazlewood out of Pak series but remain in contention for T20 WC

Australia are prepared to take a calculated risk with Pat Cummins at the upcoming T20 World Cup, keeping the option open to carry the fast-bowling captain through the early stages of the tournament if it allows him to contribute later, similar to the much like the approach taken with Travis Head during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Cummins has been named in Australia’s provisional World Cup squad alongside fellow quick Josh Hazlewood and big-hitting batter Tim David, with all three included subject to proving their fitness. Cummins has featured only once since recovering from a lumbar stress injury, playing the Ashes Test in Adelaide, while Hazlewood continues his recovery from an Achilles issue and David is nursing a hamstring injury that curtailed his Big Bash League season.

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George Bailey, Australia’s chair of selectors, expressed confidence that Hazlewood and David would be ready in time for the tournament and said a further scan for Cummins later this month would be key in determining his availability.

“I don’t think they [Cummins and Hazlewood] will be available for the Pakistan series [three T20Is in January], but I think both should be online [for the World Cup],” Bailey told reporters at the SCG. “Patty might be a bit later; that might be a similar sort of situation to Travis Head in the 50-over World Cup, where there’s an entry point at some point. Hopefully, we can manage and carry a squad until that point. I think Hoff [Hazlewood] should be right by the start, think Tim David should be right by the start.”

Australia’s group-stage fixtures against Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are all scheduled in Sri Lanka, a factor Bailey acknowledged could offer some flexibility in team combinations if Cummins is given additional recovery time.

“You might get pushed into a corner where you can’t, and you might need to make adjustments in the squad,” Bailey said. “We were close to that having to be the case with Travis. It’s got a fit… but I guess the beauty is potentially Colombo and Kandy, you might be in a position where you can set the team up in different ways.

“We’ve obviously got some good all-round skills there, some good spin options. There are different ways of structuring the team where that might work out pretty naturally.”

The spin group referenced by Bailey includes left-armers Matt Kuhnemann and Cooper Connolly, alongside established performers Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell. While Kuhnemann is yet to take a T20I wicket in four appearances and Connolly has just one, the latter’s recent form for the Perth Scorchers has impressed the selectors.

“It’s a nice skill set [left-arm spin] over there, and [there’s] some flexibility of where he can bat,” Bailey said. “So if you do want to throw that into the mix as a secondary spin option, [he] spins the ball the other way, if you’re going to be using your offspin options.

“He’s continued to grow… he’s a good learner. Just loving seeing him get the opportunity to bat quite high for the Scorchers and also getting plenty of overs.”

Bailey also highlighted the value of Connolly and Kuhnemann being able to bowl in the powerplay.“[That] is something that we haven’t traditionally done a lot of,” he said, adding that it allows Australia to better manage Zampa’s overs.

The selectors have, for now, opted against a left-arm pace option, with Xavier Bartlett preferred over Ben Dwarshuis. However, Bailey said Dwarshuis remains “firmly in the mix” should fitness issues arise, particularly with Mitchell Starc retired from T20Is, and Spencer Johnson sidelined.

“It’s ga reat variety, and it’s different… but there still has to be a high skill level there,” Bailey said. “I don’t think you use it just because of the fact it’s a variety, so it’s a bit of a balance.”

Bailey also noted that the squad for the Pakistan T20I series, preceding the World Cup, may be influenced by players involved in the latter stages of the BBL.