Cummins prioritises fitness ahead of Border-Gavaskar trophy

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Australian Test captain Pat Cummins' is taking a cautious approach to his workload as he prepares for the highly anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against India later this year.

After a grueling two-year stretch of continuous cricket, Cummins has opted for an extended break, aiming to be in peak physical condition for the five-Test series.

Cummins' will miss Australia's upcoming white-ball tour of England and Scotland, marking his first significant break from cricket in nearly two years. The decision comes after spending just two days at home between February and July, reflecting the relentless demands of international cricket. Cricket Australia’s coaching staff has advised the 31-year-old fast bowler to take two months off from bowling to recharge.Cummins plans to resume bowling in late September but will limit his participation in domestic cricket. He is expected to play only one Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales before Australia’s first Test against India in Perth on November 24. Instead, he will focus on the one-day series against Pakistan as his primary preparation for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy."I've got those ODIs, aiming to absolutely be part of that series," Cummins said to cricket.com.au. "The priority at the moment is to smash out some gym work and start reassessing in a few weeks a path forward. I'm just trying to fill up the bucket again after two years of non-stop bowling."

Cummins’ absence from the Shield competition highlights his careful management strategy as Australia’s captain gears up for a crucial Test season. He emphasized that his recent participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA was not a matter of choosing club cricket over national duties."This was an interesting year in this gap leading into the summer was always planned," he explained. "MLC popped up late, and when we were talking through the schedule it didn't change the prep leading into the summer."

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be more demanding than ever, with the series extending to five Tests for the first time. Following the India series, Australia will travel to Sri Lanka in mid-January for another Test series, making it seven red-ball matches in just over two months.

Cummins highlighted the importance of all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh in managing the team’s bowling workload this summer. Last season, Green and Marsh bowled sparingly, but Cummins expects that to change with tougher contests against India.

"We haven't had to use them as much as we thought we would, which is a great thing," Cummins said. "The last couple of summers have been pretty light, quick Test matches. I suspect this summer might be a bit different at times. We'll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more."Australia’s pace battery, led by Cummins, will also benefit from having Nathan Lyon as a reliable spin option. However, the inclusion of Green and Marsh offers added flexibility and depth, which could be crucial in the long and taxing summer ahead. Cummins noted that Green, who began his career primarily as a bowler, has not had to bowl extensively in Tests but remains a valuable asset.