Pat Cummins Focuses on T20 World Cup After Ashes Success
Cummins Sets Sights on T20 World Cup
Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, is gearing up for the ICC T20 World Cup next year. After returning for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, where he missed the first two matches due to a back injury, he mentioned that he is taking a cautious approach to his fitness.
In the Adelaide Test, Cummins played a pivotal role in helping Australia secure the Ashes series, claiming three wickets in each innings. With the Ashes already won, he is now focused on managing his workload as the T20 World Cup approaches, set to begin on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Cummins will be under the captaincy of Mitchell Marsh during this prestigious tournament. Australia is placed in Group B, alongside Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman, with their first match against Ireland on February 11 in Colombo.
Managing Injury and Workload
In a recent video shared by 7Cricket, Cummins expressed his satisfaction with his performance in Adelaide, stating, "I got through Adelaide unscathed, which is great. Coming back from a back injury and playing consecutive Test matches is risky, so we will take it easy for a while. The T20 World Cup is next month."
Following the West Indies Test series in July, Cummins was unable to participate in the white-ball series against South Africa and India due to his back injury. He underwent an intensive rehabilitation program, allowing him to return just in time to help Australia clinch the Ashes at Adelaide.
Cummins has not played a T20I for Australia since the previous year's T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA. His involvement in the T20 format is crucial not only for the national team but also for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the IPL team he leads.
Recent Performance and Injury History
After an impressive Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India in 2024/25, where he was the second-highest wicket-taker with 25 wickets and bowled a series-high of 167 overs, Cummins missed the Sri Lanka Test tour and the ICC Champions Trophy to recover from injuries. However, he made a comeback for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa and the subsequent tour to the West Indies.
In 2025, injuries limited Cummins to just six international matches, all Tests, where he took 26 wickets at an average of 16.53, with his best figures being 6/28, marking his only five-wicket haul in 11 innings.
Ashes Test Highlights
In the ongoing Ashes series, England opted to bowl first, and Josh Tongue delivered a standout performance with a five-wicket haul (5/45), dismissing Australia for a mere 152 runs in their first innings.