Kingston [Jamaica], July 12: Australia’s Test skipper Pat Cummins has opted out of the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa, choosing instead to focus on his fitness in preparation for the Ashes later this year, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Cummins, who had already skipped the current T20I series against the West Indies alongside Mitchell Starc and Travis Head, will now continue his break. Fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood, initially named in the South Africa squad, will also return home after the Test series. Young fast bowler Xavier Bartlett has been brought in as a replacement.
“I’ll have a solid training block over the next six weeks,” Cummins said. “Probably not much bowling, but lots of gym sessions. The body feels good, though I’m working on a few things to get right before the summer.”
Although still Australia’s ODI captain, Cummins has featured in just two ODIs since lifting the 2023 World Cup and also missed this year’s Champions Trophy due to an ankle issue.
With the Ashes approaching, early rounds of the Sheffield Shield are expected to be crucial in settling Australia’s top order. Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, and Cameron Green will all have key roles to play. Green, who scored a gritty half-century in Grenada, is also targeting a bowling comeback post-South Africa.
Meanwhile, Bartlett joins the squad after an impressive Major League Cricket stint with the San Francisco Unicorns, where he currently leads the wicket charts. Jake Fraser-McGurk has also been added in place of Spencer Johnson, who is recovering from a back injury.
Fraser-McGurk has had a mixed run, scoring 113 runs in seven T20Is with a high of 50, though his form in the IPL and BBL has been inconsistent.
The T20I series against the West Indies kicks off on July 20 at Sabina Park, with the final three matches to be held in St Kitts.