In a massive blow for the Australia National Cricket Team, the Test and ODI skipper, Pat Cummins, is in doubt for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Pat Cummins is currently managing his back injury, and he has been ruled out of the remainder of the five-match Ashes series against the England National Cricket Team.
Australia unsure of Pat Cummins' T20 World Cup participation
The 32-year-old Cummins has missed a lot of cricketing action this year due to his back injury, and he just recently made his comeback to international cricket in the third Test against England in Adelaide.
He looked fully fit while bowling in the match, and returned with figures of 3/69 & 3/48 in Australia's series-clinching 82-run win over the English team. However, Pat Cummins will no longer be available for the series as Australia have already retained the Ashes.
According to cricket.com.au, the Aussies are now weighing up whether Cummins will be considered for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. One thing to be noted here is that Pat Cummins is not the captain of the Australian T20I team, and it is actually Mitchell Marsh who leads the side in the shortest format.
Speaking to reporters, the Australian head coach, Andrew McDonald, said that they can now rest Pat Cummins and give him more time to recover as the series has been won. He elaborated:
"He won't play any part in the rest of the series. That was a discussion that we had a long time out around his return. Yeah, we were taking on some risk. We've now won the series, and that was the goal. To position him for further risk and jeopardise him long-term is not something that we want to do. Pat's really comfortable with that. If he had any setback in the build-in as well, we would have shut him down straight away.
"Everything went really smoothly, and full credit to him, the medical team and to navigate through that risk profile, to get him back and take six wickets in that game and nail the Ashes series was incredibly pleasing for everyone associated with that."
Mitchell Starc is a freak - Andrew McDonald
The left-arm veteran pacer Mitchell Starc has been absolutely sensational in the ongoing Ashes series, having bagged 22 wickets in 6 innings at a stunning average of 17.04.
Talking about him, McDonald revealed that the physiotherapist Nick Jones called Mitchell Starc a freak, looking at the way he has maintained himself. Andrew McDonald elaborated:
"Starc's amazing. He's pulled up fine. I don't know how he does it. I walked into the physio room the other day and went through the body count and how we're going and (physiotherapist Nick Jones) just said, 'He's a freak'.
"He's pulled up well, he keeps running in and presenting the pace that he does. There's a lot to be learned around preparing yourself and targeting the right matches at the right time
"He's given up a lot of IPL opportunities and you're seeing a player that wants to play Test cricket, and he's still at his best. It's an incredible story, and let's hope it continues for a long time yet. But he's a freak – end of story."
His shoulder kept sort of falling out - Andrew McDonald on Pat Cummins' replacement
Paceman Jhye Richardson has been recalled to the squad for the fourth Test against England as a replacement for Pat Cummins, and he is in line to play his first Test in four years.
Speaking of Jhye Richardson, Andrew McDonald said that he has looked great since returning from a shoulder surgery, which he underwent on the suggestion of the Cricket Australia (CA) medical staff.
"Another really good decision from the medical team. His shoulder kept sort of falling out. It was really unstable. He made a decision to have that surgery with a view to coming back midway through the Ashes. We do have a bowling attack that has a high-ish profile, so we always need backups. He's incredibly skillful. That decision (to have surgery), we're seeing some reward for that. It looks as though he's come back better. He's really comfortable with where his shoulder's at."
Also Read: Pat Cummins ruled out of Ashes 2025–26 as Australia announce squad for 4th Test
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