australia star targets india series to return from injury before world cup

Australia reveals 18-player Cricket World Cup squad, Cummins to lead; recovering from injury, aims for Ind VS Aus series return.

Australia has unveiled its preliminary 18-player squad for the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup, set to take place in India. The selection mirrors the squad that will participate in the imminent ODI series against South Africa and India, serving as a preparation phase leading up to the prestigious tournament. As the event approaches, the preliminary roster will undergo further pruning, narrowing down to a final 15-player lineup.

Amidst this announcement, Pat Cummins has been designated as the captain for the World Cup campaign. Despite currently recuperating from a wrist injury sustained during the Ashes, Cummins is determined to return to the international cricket scene. He has outlined a potential reentry into the field during the latter part of the South Africa tour, with a more realistic target of a complete comeback during the India series.

Cummins candidly shared his experience with the injury, revealing, “It hurt day one when I did it and it hurt a lot when I was batting, but I didn’t think it was too bad.” Subsequently, the discomfort exacerbated over time, prompting him to suspect a bone-related issue rather than a muscular problem.

Beyond the impending World Cup, Cummins shed light on his uncertainty regarding his long-term ODI captaincy. Also captaining Australia’s Test team, he disclosed that he hasn’t yet contemplated his role beyond the tournament. In his absence, the reins of the T20I series against South Africa will be held by Mitchell Marsh. This tour will see the participation of seasoned players like Steve Smith, Alex Carey, and Josh Hazlewood, all of whom have previously taken on the mantle of Australia’s ODI captaincy.

Cummins underscored his approach to the future, stating, “I haven’t thought about it too much to be honest. We’ll play this World Cup and then assess it after that.” Marsh, renowned for his capabilities as an all-rounder and adept top-order batter in limited-overs cricket, emerges as a strong contender for Australia’s permanent T20 captaincy role. Notably, Australia has been seeking consistency in this leadership position since Aaron Finch’s retirement.

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