Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins is set to undergo scans in four weeks to determine his availability for the upcoming T20 World Cup campaign in the subcontinent, head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed.
Test captain Cummins has battled a back issue since returning from the West Indies tour in July, subsequently missing the first two matches of this summer’s Ashes series.
The 32-year-old returned for the third Test against England, taking six wickets at Adelaide Oval to help Australia retain the coveted Ashes urn, but he has since been wrapped in cotton wool, sidelined for the final two matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
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Speaking to reporters at the MCG on Monday morning, McDonald confirmed that Cummins would be named in Australia’s 15-player squad for the T20 World Cup, which will be announced next week, but warned he could be ruled out of the tournament at the eleventh hour pending the results of his next scan.
“(The scans) will give us the information on where he’s at for the World Cup,” McDonald explained.
“He’ll be named in the squad of 15, and then we’ll get that information as to where he’s at.”
McDonald defends the MCG pitch | 01:46
McDonald also provides updates on seamer Josh Hazlewood and pinch-hitter Tim David, who are both nursing injuries of their own.
The Australian coach declared that Hazlewood, who was ruled out of the entire Ashes campaign due to hamstring and Achilles injuries, is in the process of returning to bowling and remains on track to feature at the T20 World Cup.
“He looks as though he should be right in terms of possible time frames,” McDonald said.
“Hoff looks good.”
Elsewhere, David sustained a hamstring injury while playing a Big Bash League match for the Hobart Hurricanes in Perth on Boxing Day, retiring hurt for 42.
The 29-year-old, who has been one of Australia’s most consistent T20 cricketers this year, underwent scans on Monday morning to determine the nature and severity of the injury.
“He has had a hamstring injury, not sure whether it’s just pure muscle or tendon,” McDonald said.
“We’re unaware as to what it is at the moment. We’ll have more information and I dare say we’ll be able to put something out later today once we get that info.
“I think the time frame will be kind on TD, so he should be available no matter what that injury is.”
Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign gets underway in Colombo on February 11.
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