Australia captain and right-arm pacer Pat Cummins has resumed bowling as he gears up for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) and the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.
Cummins suffered an ankle injury during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. He was ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy but remains optimistic about his fitness ahead of a packed season.
“The ankle is all going strong, been able to give it a good rest and then been building up slowly, which you don’t get to do when you play lots of cricket. It’s feeling as strong as it has for a fair while.”
”Should be fine [for the IPLl, that’s the plan. So have a few weeks of bowling, building back up and then hopefully don’t have to worry about it for a while,” Cummins told ESPNcricinfo.
The right-arm pacer revealed that his ankle needed consistent management over time and worsened during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
“It’s something that we’ve opted never to have surgery on or intervene too much, just a lot to rehab. Having this break meant that I could get a couple of cortisones and really rehab it well the last couple of weeks,” Cummins said.
Looking ahead, Cummins aims to gradually build up his workload during the IPL before taking on a full role in the three-Test series against the West Indies after the WTC final. He emphasized the need for strategic rest in a hectic schedule, suggesting he may manage his workload carefully for the busy season ahead.
“Skipping occasional tours helps players stay fresh and play more cricket throughout the year,” Cummins remarked.
Young pacers step up for Australia amid star trio’s absence in Champions Trophy
Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign has featured an inexperienced pace attack in the absence of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. However, young bowlers have risen to the challenge, with Ben Dwarshuis taking three wickets against England and Nathan Ellis delivering an economical spell in a high-scoring match.
“[Nathan] has always been so valuable that he can bowl at any stage. He doesn’t necessarily need to take the new ball to have a big impact. He can bowl through the middle and at the end,” Cummins added.
Pat Cummins is already preparing for Australia’s upcoming white-ball events, including the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup, as he aims to lead the team in their title defense.
“It comes around pretty quick, we’re already almost halfway. That’s definitely what we’ve been speaking to. When it’s a long way away, Test cricket and other [tournaments] take priority. But once it gets a bit closer, that becomes a bit more of a focus,” Cummins concluded.
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