Cummins Confident of Best T20 Form in Decade Ahead of World Cup

Australian pace spearhead Pat Cummins is brimming with confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup, believing his game is in its best shape in a decade. Fresh from a successful stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Cummins has joined the Australian squad in Barbados, ready to make his mark.

Cummins' confidence stems from his impressive performances in the IPL, where he led the Sunrisers Hyderabad to the playoffs. He finished the tournament with 17 wickets in 17 matches, showcasing his ability to adapt to the demands of T20 cricket.

"Probably as well as I have for the last 10 years really," Cummins told cricket.com.au of his T20 bowling. "We played 17 games straight (at the IPL). For the most part, international T20s are after the Test series, and you've got to try and hit a yorker or a slower ball, and then go back to a Test series."

"So just getting the pace of the game and executing some of those balls that you need more in T20 cricket than in other formats, I feel really well placed," he added.

Cummins emphasized the importance of playing consistently in the same format, which he believes makes a "huge difference" to the tactical side of bowling.

"A lot of T20 bowling in particular is about thinking through your sequencing of which ball to bowl or when, and I think over the course of the season you get to learn pretty quickly what's working and what isn't."

"Even if it doesn't work first game, and you feel like it's never going to work every game, but you know that if you zoom out over the course of the tournament it's going to work for you. So it's nice coming in here with that confidence."

Cummins' tenure as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad not only polished his bowling skills but also enhanced his leadership credentials. However, he is content to take a backseat in leadership with Mitchell Marsh stepping up as captain for the T20 World Cup.

"I'm obviously there to help him if he needs me but it's Mitch's show. I'm certainly there to help ... as are a lot of the senior guys, so he won't be short of help if he needs it," Cummins said.

Tags: #PatCummins, #T20WorldCup, #AustralianCricket, #IPL, #SunrisersHyderabad