“I’m not worried at all”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia pace bowler Pat Cummins will be out of action until the 2016 World Twenty20 after suffering a third stress fracture in his lower back in as many years.
Ever since he made his Test debut against South Africa in 2011, Cummins has succumbed to injuries time and time again, which has ruined his international career.
However, Cummins revealed that he was less concerned about the injury this time around as he already knows what it will take to make a full recovery and regain his spot in the national team.
“I’m not really worried now, compared to a couple of years ago,” Cummins said. “The fact I was able to come back after bowling a heavy schedule over two years, and to have it culminate in a really successful one-day international series at the back end of it means I’m not worried at all.
“I know I can do it. While we haven’t set out a rehab plan yet, and things will obviously be dictated by my recovery, the Twenty20 World Championship in India early next year has been targeted as a goal for me to try and return for.
“I will be doing all of my rehab sessions with that tournament in mind.”
Cummins was the highest wicket-taker during the recent ODI series between Australia and England with 12 victims at an average of 19.66. As a result of his superb performance, the national selectors decided to reward him by including him in the Baggy Greens’ Test squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh.
However, with that plan having gone up in smoke, the national selectors opted to select all-rounder James Faulkner as Cummins’ replacement even though he has only played one Test, which came against England in August 2013, and was recently charged with drink-driving in Manchester in July, for which he was banned from driving for two years and fined £10,000.
Having been given an opportunity to resurrect his Test career, Faulkner is keen to impress in Bangladesh and cement his spot in the squad ahead of a busy Australian summer.
“I get [my Baggy Green] out every now and again and have a look at it but there might be a little bit of dust on it because it’s been a good couple of years,” he said. “It’s a different feeling and I’ve only got the taste once, but it was enough to keep driving me to get back into the squad and hopefully I can get an opportunity again and do well.”
While there is speculation that Faulkner will struggle to break into the playing XI since Australia already have two all-rounders in Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, the 25-year-old sees no reason as to why all three of them can’t play at the same time.
“I think most teams around the world now are playing two or three all-rounders so there’s no reason why we can’t all play together especially in those conditions as well,” he said.