MOHALI: Australian captain Pat Cummins, on Thursday, revealed that he has made a full recovery from a wrist injury and is eager to participate in all three One-day Internationals against the hosts, India, commencing on Friday.
While Cummins is set to return, the Australian squad will still be missing the services of pace bowler Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for the opening match, to be held in the northern Indian city of Mohali.
Addressing reporters, Cummins stated, “I am feeling pretty good, pretty much 100 per cent, and hope to play tomorrow and participate in all the games.”
However, Cummins acknowledged that Starc, who is recuperating from a groin injury, and Maxwell, nursing an ankle injury, will not be featuring in the initial match but will be accessible for the later games in the series.
A significant portion of Australia’s top players also actively participates in various franchises of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament. Cummins mentioned that they possess substantial insights into the local conditions, thanks to their IPL experience.
Furthermore, Cummins mentioned their intentions to experiment with different team combinations and players during the series against India, as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup in India next month. He expressed hope that these matches would provide valuable insights, saying, “Hopefully, we will get a few answers in the next few games.”
Australia, along with India and England, is regarded as one of the top contenders for success in the forthcoming ODI World Cup.
India, meanwhile, has opted to rest captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli for the first two ODIs. They aim to assess different players before the tournament. KL Rahul will lead the team in Sharma’s absence, with the captain set to return alongside other key players for the final match of the series.
By AFP
