Image: Pat Cummins hopes that he and Mitchell Starc will be available for the remaining Tests / © CricTips
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has just two Test matches left, with Australia’s Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc hopeful to play despite the absence of Josh Hazlewood, ruled out for the remainder of the series due to a calf injury. The series is tied at 1-1 after a rain-affected draw in Brisbane. With Hazlewood out, Cummins and Starc may need to take on more responsibility on seam-friendly pitches in the remaining Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
Cummins, with 14 wickets alongside Starc, expressed confidence that both would be fit, saying “Nothing is for certain”, but both felt physically ready after the recent break. Hazlewood is expected to return for Australia’s upcoming Sri Lanka tour. He said:
Nothing is for certain. See how we pull up. But today we’re both fine so I can’t see that changing. It was hot yesterday but physically outside of that, we’re good to go. We’d had about seven days or so of bowling after Adelaide so we were fresh and ready to go. If anything, the rain breaks (in Brisbane) actually helped us get a bit of a break.
Additionally, Cummins may miss a Sri Lanka Test due to his wife’s due date, with the series beginning on January 29. Australia’s pursuit of the World Test Championship title hinges on winning in Melbourne and Sydney.