February 26, 2025: Australia’s captain and right-arm seamer, Pat Cummins, is gradually recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series against India. Although Cummins was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025, he remains confident about his fitness, preparing for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) and the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Cummins shared that his ankle is improving after a much-needed rest, with a structured rehab plan in place. He explained that the injury had been managed carefully, avoiding surgery and focusing on rehab. “The ankle is all going strong, been able to give it a good rest and then been building up slowly,” said Cummins. He is optimistic that his fitness will be in top shape for the IPL and hopes to stay injury-free.
Cummins also discussed the importance of strategic rest in modern cricket. With a packed schedule, he emphasized the value of managing workload for sustained peak performance. “Sometimes by missing the odd tour, you actually end up playing more cricket for the whole year,” he noted, reflecting on the evolving approach to player management in international cricket.
Cummins has already started working on his fitness, bowling in preparation for the IPL, and he plans to gradually increase his workload in the coming weeks. He also looked ahead to Australia’s cricket calendar, with the WTC final against South Africa followed by a three-Test series against the West Indies. Beyond that, he is focused on Australia’s future white-ball commitments, including the T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Despite Cummins’ absence from the Champions Trophy, some younger bowlers, like Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis, have risen to the occasion, impressing with their performances in the tournament. Looking ahead, Cummins remains committed to leading Australia in all formats, with his sights set on retaining the ODI World Cup title in 2027.