Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has revealed he is almost certain to miss the opening stages of the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup as he continues his recovery from a back injury that disrupted his summer.
Injury Management and World Cup Timeline
Cummins, who played just one Test during Australia's 4-1 Ashes series victory over England, confirmed the ongoing management of his fitness. He indicated he would have been available for later Ashes Tests had the series outcome been undecided, highlighting the cautious approach taken by medical staff.
Despite being named in the preliminary 15-man squad for the tournament, which is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the pace spearhead will follow a similar path to teammate Travis Head's successful 2023 ODI World Cup comeback. Head missed the first five games of that tournament with a broken hand before returning to play a starring role in the final against India.
Cummins stated from Melbourne that his goal is to feature in at least one or two of Australia's four round-robin matches to ensure he is in peak condition for the critical Super 8 stage of the competition.
Building Back for the Tournament
"Had a couple of bowls last week, feeling really good," Cummins said. "Had four weeks completely off bowling, obviously doing gym work and things like that ... but we will build back up and be right for the T20 World Cup."
He confirmed he will be "100 per cent" for the tournament but may arrive later than the rest of the squad, potentially missing the practice games. "I think we've got four (round robin) games so I'd like to play one or two of those," he added, outlining his phased return.
Pakistan Series Sees Rest for Key Players
Selectors have opted for a no-risk policy with several established stars ahead of the global event. Cummins will be rested for the entire three-match T20 series in Pakistan next week, alongside fellow key players Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, and Nathan Ellis.
This decision opens the door for fringe and emerging players to press their claims. The 17-man squad for the Pakistan tour includes Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, and Jack Edwards, offering them valuable international exposure.
Chairman of selectors George Bailey said, "The series is a great opportunity for those on the brink of selection and some young players we rate highly for valuable experience."
Smith's World Cup Hopes Dim
In a significant selection signal, Steve Smith has been overlooked for the Pakistan series despite sparkling form in the Big Bash League. This omission strongly suggests he will not be part of the final World Cup squad.
When asked about Smith's chances, Cummins, noting he is "just a player" in the T20 setup, praised his teammate's form. "(Smith) is going great, I've been watching a bit of the Big Bash and he's been on fire," Cummins said.
He explained the difficulty of breaking into a settled and successful top order, stating, "The hardest thing when you're looking at bringing someone into a successful side is who you are going to bring out... Tough side to get in to, but if you're dominating the Big Bash like he is, you are always going to be up and around there."
Australia's T20 World Cup campaign begins on February 11. The team will first play Pakistan in Lahore on January 29, 31, and February 1 before heading to Sri Lanka for their World Cup opener.
The full Australian squad for the Pakistan T20 series is: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
