Cricket

Australia's pace attack, led by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, has been a formidable force in recent years. However, with a grueling five-Test series against India on the horizon, Cummins anticipates a greater workload for all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh.In the past, Australia's all-rounders have played a limited role in the bowling department. However, Cummins believes that this summer will be different. "I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time," he said. "We'll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more."Green, who has taken 35 wickets in Tests, has been a revelation with the bat, scoring a magnificent 174 not out against New Zealand earlier this year. He is expected to bat at No. 4 and provide valuable overs with the ball.Marsh, on the other hand, is a more experienced all-rounder who has played 32 Tests for Australia. He is a reliable batsman and a handy medium-pacer.Cummins believes that having all-rounders in the top six gives Australia a significant advantage. "The first point is they both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury," he said. "It makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option. And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options."The presence of all-rounders also helps manage the workload of the frontline bowlers. "It's nice of them to say that, they'd never say it to my face," Cummins joked. "When I'm at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I'm also doing it down the other end and wouldn't ask for something I can't do myself."Australia has a healthy stockpile of fast-bowling resources behind the big three, including Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Lance Morris, Xavier Bartlett, and Jhye Richardson. However, Cummins is confident that his frontline bowlers can get through the India series without any major issues."I'm feeling really good," he said. "I've had a couple of months off bowling now, so I'm feeling fresh and ready to go."

Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins has decided to take a two-month break from cricket to prepare for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Cummins has been playing non-stop since the World Test Championship final 18 months ago and feels that he needs a break to rejuvenate himself both physically and mentally."Everyone that comes back after a break is a little bit fresher, you never regret it," Cummins told Fox Sports. "I've basically been bowling non-stop since the World Test Championship final, nearly 18 months ago. This gives me a good seven or eight weeks completely off bowling so the body can recover, then you start building up again for the summer."Cummins' decision to take a break has been supported by Cricket Australia, who believe that it will help him to be at his best for the upcoming summer. Cummins is determined to lead Australia to victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they have not won since 2017."It's the trophy I haven't won before... this is the one trophy a lot of our group haven't ticked off," Cummins said. "We've achieved some amazing things over the last few years as a Test group. You kind of back yourself to win every series at home. I think you need to try and be up there in the upper echelon of teams."Cummins is also looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will be included for the first time. Cummins is hoping to be part of the Australian team that competes in the Olympics."Watching the Olympics, it got us all excited. You want to be part of it right there in the middle," Cummins said. "I'd love to be on that side (at LA 2028). I think I'll be 35 or something, so hopefully still there or thereabouts."

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins is preparing for the upcoming series against India by considering a brief return to the Sheffield Shield. Cummins, who recently completed a stint in the USA, has been rested from Australia's white-ball tour of Scotland and England next month.Cummins' focus is on building strength and conditioning ahead of the home summer, which includes five Tests against India starting in late November. These Tests will be crucial in determining Australia's chances of defending their World Test Championship title at Lord's next June.Cummins last played Sheffield Shield for New South Wales in February 2021 and has only made nine appearances in his career. He is considering playing two or three ODIs against Pakistan in early November, followed by a Shield game or NSW one-day matches.New South Wales has a Shield game against Victoria from October 20 and Queensland from November 1, although the latter overlaps with the start of the ODI series against Pakistan. Cummins' fellow fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood could also be available for New South Wales ahead of the international season.Most of the Australian batters are expected to be available for the Sheffield Shield in October, while those not involved in the ODI series against Pakistan could get another outing. There are also two Australia A four-day matches against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.Cummins' return to the Sheffield Shield will provide him with valuable match practice ahead of the crucial Test series against India. The series will be a major test for Australia, who are currently second in the World Test Championship table behind India.

Pat Cummins Rested, Mitchell Starc to Miss T20s in Australia's UK TourAs part of a strategic workload management plan, Australia's ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins will be rested for the upcoming limited-overs tour to Britain. Mitchell Starc, another key bowler, will miss the Twenty20 phase of the tour.The tour, scheduled for September, will feature five one-day internationals against England and three Twenty20 matches against Scotland. Cummins' absence is part of a long-term strategy to manage his workload ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, according to Cricket Australia.Mitchell Marsh, who captained Australia in the recent T20 World Cup, will lead the team on the tour. The selectors have opted to rest wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and veteran opener David Warner, with an eye towards the future.Young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who was a traveling reserve for the T20 World Cup, has been included in both the ODI and T20 squads. "This tour gives us a great opportunity to bring in some new players and give some senior players time to prepare for the home summer and a busy first half of next year," said George Bailey, Australia's selection chairman.Bailey emphasized the importance of integrating new players into the white-ball setup, including Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett, and Aaron Hardie. "With the Champions Trophy next year, there has been a lot of planning invested into these next six months," he said.Despite not reaching the semifinals of the T20 World Cup, Australia remains the reigning World Cup champions in the 50-over format and the World Test Championship winners.

Pat Cummins, the Australian fast bowler, is set to make his return to the United States for the Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament. Cummins, who last played in the T20 World Cup in the Americas, has signed a four-year deal with the San Francisco Unicorns.Cummins, 31, has previously played in only one overseas T20 league, the Indian Premier League (IPL), and has not featured in Australia's Big Bash League since the 2018-19 season due to his international commitments.The Unicorns have won only one of their three games so far this year and will welcome the boost that Cummins will provide. He made history by picking up back-to-back hat-tricks at the T20 World Cup and led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final in the IPL.Cummins' arrival coincides with Sherfane Rutherford's departure. The West Indies allrounder has not played any of the Unicorns' matches so far and will miss the rest of the MLC due to a bereavement in the family.There were changes among the other teams as well with Ottneil Baartman replacing Gerald Coetzee (injury) at Texas Super Kings and Lungi Ngidi taking over from Wayne Parnell (player withdrawal) at Seattle Orcas.Baartman, the South Africa fast bowler, was ruled out of the T20 Blast in England due to visa delays. He has 107 wickets from 76 T20s and is known for his variations and death-bowling ability.Ngidi suffered a back injury during the SA20 but has since recovered and was part of South Africa's squad at the T20 World Cup.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction of 2024 witnessed unprecedented bidding wars, with Australian pacers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc fetching record-breaking sums. SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) acquired Cummins for Rs 20.5 crore, while Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outbid them with a staggering Rs 24.75 crore for Starc.While some fans and experts questioned the astronomical prices, both players justified their worth with exceptional performances. Starc, despite a relatively quiet group stage, delivered match-winning spells in the Qualifier 1 and final. Cummins, as SRH captain, led his team to the final, where they narrowly lost to Starc's KKR.However, in a recent interview, Starc admitted that he and Cummins were "a bit overpaid." He revealed that they had a laugh about it, saying, "We played the first game and nine weeks later we play again in finals. Suddenly it goes from 2 overpaid guys to these 2 are playing the final."Despite their high price tags, Starc and Cummins proved their value on the field. Their performances highlighted the importance of quality fast bowling in T20 cricket. However, former Australian pacer Brett Lee believes that India's Jasprit Bumrah is currently the best bowler across all formats.Lee praised Bumrah's pace, swing, and leadership abilities. He said, "He is the best bowler in all formats right now and leads the attack. Bumrah can keep up an amazing pace while shaping the new ball away. His tournament performance demonstrated his leadership abilities, taking about 15 wickets with remarkable economy. He is absolutely exceptional, and India is deserving of praise for their accomplishments."The IPL auction and the subsequent performances of Starc, Cummins, and Bumrah have sparked discussions about the value of fast bowlers in modern cricket. While high prices may raise eyebrows, the impact of these bowlers on their teams' success cannot be denied.

Australia's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign came to an abrupt end after Afghanistan's thrilling victory over Bangladesh in their final Super 8 match. The Mitchell Marsh-led side had earlier suffered a shocking loss to Afghanistan, followed by a defeat to India, effectively eliminating them from the tournament.India's 24-run victory over Australia was a significant moment for their fans, who celebrated it as a form of "revenge" for their loss in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad. During the match, Australia's ODI captain Pat Cummins faced sledging from a fan as he walked back to the pavilion after his dismissal. The incident was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media.In the match between India and Australia, Rohit Sharma played a crucial role, scoring a brilliant 92 to guide India to a formidable total of 205 for 5. Travis Head was once again Australia's top scorer, but Arshdeep Singh's three wickets and Kuldeep Yadav's two wickets proved decisive in India's victory.After the match, Rohit Sharma expressed his satisfaction with India's performance. "We know the opposition and the threat they bring. As a team, we did well, kept doing the things we needed to do. Gives us good confidence as a team," he said.Rohit also praised Kuldeep Yadav's contribution, saying, "We know the strength he has, but we need to use him when necessary. In New York, there were seamer-friendly wickets."With Australia's elimination, India and Afghanistan have secured their places in the semi-finals. India will face England in the first semi-final, while Afghanistan will take on the winner of the match between Pakistan and New Zealand.

India vs Australia: Cummins on Team Morale, Aggressive Style, and ODI World Cup TriumphAs India and Australia prepare for their high-stakes T20 World Cup clash, Australian captain Pat Cummins has shared his insights on team morale, the team's aggressive style of play, and their journey to the ODI World Cup title last year.Team MoraleCummins emphasizes the importance of understanding individual needs within the team. He believes that senior players play a crucial role in boosting morale, whether through humor or serious discussions.Aggressive StyleCummins refrains from defining the Australian brand of cricket, preferring to focus on playing to the team's strengths. He acknowledges that different players have different approaches, but the common goal is to be relentless and enjoy the game.ODI World Cup TriumphReflecting on the ODI World Cup final, Cummins highlights the challenges the team faced throughout the tournament, including injuries and form issues. He credits the team's ability to overcome adversity and find ways to win as key factors in their success.Captaincy ApproachCummins describes his captaincy style as people-oriented. He values building strong relationships with his teammates and providing them with support. He believes in collaboration and working together to achieve common goals.'The Test' Docu-SeriesCummins acknowledges the positive reception of the 'The Test' docu-series, which has drawn both cricket fans and non-fans to the sport. He believes the series has a responsibility to continue providing insights into the game and attracting new viewers.

Pat Cummins, the Australian fast bowler, has etched his name in the history books by claiming his second hat-trick in three days during the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight match against Afghanistan. This remarkable feat makes him the fifth bowler to achieve two hat-tricks in men's T20Is.Cummins' first hat-trick came against Bangladesh in Antigua, where he dismissed three batsmen in consecutive deliveries. In St Vincent, he repeated the feat in his last two overs, starting with the dismissal of Rashid Khan at long on with the last ball of the 18th over. He then removed Karim Janat in the same manner with the first ball of the 20th over, before Gulbadin Naib hoicked to deep midwicket."Yeah, remembered this one," Cummins said after the match, referring to his forgetfulness about being on a hat-trick against Bangladesh. "Crazy to get two in a row after playing 100 plus games for Australia."Cummins came close to achieving a rare feat of four wickets in four balls, but David Warner missed a chance at deep square when Nangeyalia Kharote swung to the leg side.With this hat-trick, Cummins joins an elite group of bowlers who have achieved the feat twice in T20Is. Lasith Malinga, Tim Southee, Serbia's Mark Pavlovic, and Malta's Waseem Abbas are the other bowlers to have accomplished this rare feat.Cummins' hat-trick is also notable for its timing, as he became the second player to take a hat-trick in consecutive international matches. Wasim Akram achieved this feat in consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka in March 1999. Jimmy Matthews had also taken hat-tricks in each innings of a Test match against South Africa in 1912, but both came on the same day.Cummins' hat-trick played a crucial role in Australia's victory over Afghanistan, as they restricted their opponents to a modest total of 127/9. Australia chased down the target with ease, winning by 8 wickets.