Australia's Pat Cummins takes two-month break ahead of India Tests
Australia's Test captain, Pat Cummins, has announced a two-month break from cricket. This decision comes as he gears up for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India later this year Down Under. Following his debut in USA's Major League Cricket (MLC), Cummins has been granted leave from Australia's impending limited-overs tour to the UK, which includes white-ball series against Scotland and England. Cummins's aim is to manage his workload and concentrate on physical fitness for a demanding summer season.
Importance of rest and recovery
Cummins highlighted the importance of rest and recovery in maintaining performance levels. He told Fox Sports, "Everyone that comes back after a break is a little bit fresher, you never regret it." He added, "I've basically been bowling non-stop since the 2023 ICC 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."
Hectic schedule and injury recovery
Cummins has had a busy schedule across formats. He led Australia to the 2023 WTC title and the historic ODI World Cup honor later that year. Cummins then featured in three Tests against Pakistan, two Tests against the West Indies, T20Is and Tests against New Zealand, the Indian Premier League (IPL), the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, and MLC . He also had to deal with a wrist fracture toward the end of Ashes campaign in England.
Preparation plans during break
During his break, Cummins plans to focus on gym work, running, and rehab exercises that are difficult to fit into a regular season. "I'm very sore today after a week of gym. Hamstrings, even ankles, kind of build up over months of bowling," the 31-year-old said. He added, "I'll be doing lots of gym, some running, a lot of rehab exercise that you just can't really fit in the middle of the season."
Determination to win Border-Gavaskar Trophy
The Border-Gavaskar series between Australia and India scheduled Down Under will feature five Test matches. Notably, Australia haven't beaten India in a Test series in nearly a decade. Before the 2023 WTC final, the two sides met in the Border-Gavaskar series earlier that year. India beat Australia 2-1 in a thrilling four-match series at home. "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.
India unbeaten against Australia since 2014/15 series
Australia last beat India in a Test series in the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2-0). India avenged the loss by winning the loss with a 2-1 win at home. The series was embroiled in controversies. India then became the only Asian side with a Test series win in Australia (2018/19). They also won the 2020/21 series Down Under before beating Australia at home (2023).
Future aspirations in T20 cricket
Despite his break, Cummins has no plans to retire from T20 cricket anytime soon. He hopes to contribute to Australia's pursuit of an elusive gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will feature cricket for the first time. "Watching the Olympics, it got us all excited. You want to be part of it right there in the middle," Cummins said about his future aspirations in the sport.
