Australia to rest Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for ODI series
Getty
Justin Langer hinted at offering some rest to the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for the upcoming ODI series against India which will be played in January. Langer also spoke about how it’s best for the likes of Cummins and others to skip IPL ahead of a busy 2019.
The Australian pace bowling trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have been under immense pressure in the ongoing four-match Test series against India on home soil. While Starc and Cummins made a return to the Test team for the series against Virat Kohli’s men, Hazlewood has featured regularly for the Australian team in 2018. Australian coach Justin Langer has hinted that he might opt to rest the three fast-bowlers for the upcoming ODI series against the Indians which will be played in January 2019.
“It’s the great conundrum for us, really, how we manage our bowlers. For example, we might not play them in the next three one-dayers so they’re ready for the next two (Tests) to keep them fresh,” Langer told ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.
Langer also emphasised that Australia need to keep their players fit and fresh ahead of a busy 2019, which also includes the ICC ODI World Cup and an Ashes tour of England. With that in mind, the pace triplet could be rested in the coming weeks in order to ensure that they are in the best condition for the two Tests against Sri Lanka.
Langer praised Cummins who has been Australia’s standout fast bowler in the ongoing season. The pacer was undoubtedly the best fast bowler for the hosts in the first three Tests against India with 14 wickets at an average of 20.07. However, Cummins had earlier missed the ODI series in England and the two Tests against Pakistan in the UAE owing to injuries.
“You look at every year on an individual basis and the player as well. There might be times when it’s a really good thing for them to be playing IPL. But there’s so much cricket now. The players individually - and us as management - have to make sure we get the balance right so everyone is happy and playing cricket.
“So getting that management right and staying true to the management, so we can have him (Cummins) fit and firing - we’ve got to be strong with that because there’s got to be a lot of people with different opinions as to whether they should play every game. But we know it’s really hard to play all year around because they need to keep their bodies as fresh and strong (as possible) and then be bowling at the level we want them to be at. It’s a real balancing act as well,” Langer concluded.
