Australia chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that Test captain Pat Cummins will miss the opening match of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. However, fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is expected to be available from the start of the tournament, while power-hitter Tim David remains on track despite a minor setback in his recovery.
Bailey revealed that Cummins, who was rested for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, will not feature in Australia’s first World Cup game.
The fast bowler is not expected to travel to Sri Lanka with the squad initially and will instead link up with the team after their second group-stage fixture against Zimbabwe on February 13.
Cummins has played just once since the Ashes, featuring in the Adelaide Test that sealed Australia’s series victory, with selectors opting to prioritise his workload management.
“Like nearly every tournament that we head to, particularly when it’s a really busy time of the year, it’s very much about working with individuals to make sure they get the best preparation possible so that when they do join that World Cup squad, they’re ready to perform,” Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
Australia have until January 31 to finalise their World Cup squad and are yet to name travelling reserves. Bailey said those decisions would be influenced by how Cummins and Hazlewood progress in the coming weeks.
“Part of that will certainly be how (Hazlewood and Cummins) are tracking and shaping up for the tournament, and if they’re both going well, then it will be about covering any potential gaps that we may see throughout the tournament,” he said.
Bailey also provided reassurance regarding Tim David, who suffered a minor hiccup during his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in the Big Bash League. David’s campaign was cut short after he was injured while batting for the Hobart Hurricanes on December 26.
Bailey confirmed that the middle-order batter experienced a “very minor setback” last week that forced him to miss a running session, though scans showed no fresh damage. “It was just on the back of a heavy week, so he’s still tracking for the start of the tournament; Josh (Hazlewood) is in the same boat,” Bailey said.
Hazlewood has not played competitively since early November, when he injured his right hamstring while bowling for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield. An accompanying Achilles issue during rehabilitation ruled him out of the Ashes series.
Bailey also hinted that Steve Smith could come into contention if a senior vacancy opens up, praising his form and versatility. “It’s a great problem to have,” he said.
“He’s (Smith) playing incredibly well, as he has done in the BBL for the past couple of years, in a position where we already have good coverage. I’d hate to put a line through Steve and say he couldn’t bat anywhere else, because he’s proven his ability to do that on a number of occasions,” Bailey added.