Pat Cummins’ aspiration to participate in the T20 World Cup remains very vivid still, however, his fitness remains an uncertainty. The captain of Australian Test cricket is predicted to be a part of the the squad for the T20 World Cup, whereby a significant medical scan scheduled for January will be the one to determine if he is capable of really appearing on the ground.
Cummins has been enduring a bone stress-related problem on his back, which has been the reason for his absence from the first two Tests of the Ashes series.
He made a great return in Adelaide, where he took six wickets to ensure that Australia didn’t lose the Ashes, only then to be rested again once the matter of the series was settled.
Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David are all looking good for playing in T20 World Cup 2026
That resting period has now moved the spotlight directly to the T20 World Cup, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald stated that Pat Cummins will be part of the preliminary 15 players squad even though his participation will only be assured after another medical examination just before the tournament starts.
This strategy indicates that Australia is ready to stake a calculated risk on one of their top players.
For Joshua Hazlewood and Tim David, who are also under pressure due to hamstring injuries, the prognosis is brighter.
“Josh is coming back to bowl and he is looking to be on the safe side in terms of time frames. Pat will be undergoing a scan in about four weeks. So at that time we will know what his situation is regarding the World Cup. He will be included in the team of 15, and then we will receive that notification about where he stands,” McDonald told the press.
Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are also making great progress in their recoveries.
Hazlewood is a bowler who has not played since November but is now well into his returning process and is expected to be fit when the time comes.
Injured during last week’s Big Bash League game, David is also racing towards full fitness.
“But ‘Hoff’ (Hazlewood) looks good. I think the timeframe will be kind on TD (David) as well, he should be available no matter what that injury is. And then we’ll wait on Patty,” he added.
David’s health is of utmost importance for Australian T20 plans. He has been one of the most ruthless batters for the country, amassing nearly 400 runs in T20 international matches in 2025 alone at an average close to 50 and a strike rate nearly 200.
Mitch Marsh is the only one who has scored more runs for Australia in the format this year.
Australia likely to announce T20 World Cup squad on New Year
Meanwhile, the announcement regarding Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad might come as early as New Year’s Day, and the names of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David are among those to be included.
The team will start its journey with a match against Ireland in Colombo on February 11, while the final will take place on March 8.
Comments are closed.