Australia all-rounder Pat Cummins has set his sights on the 2026 T20 World Cup that is set to commence from February 7. After making a successful return from injury in the third Ashes Test and leading Australia to the series triumph, Cummins was ruled out from the remainder of the assignment due to fitness and workload management issues.
With the Ashes already in the bag, Cummins is eyeing to make a return in the T20 World Cup where he will be playing under the leadership of Mitchell Marsh. He pointed out that it was very risky for him to play two consecutive Tests as he was coming back from a serious injury and said that he has now shifted his focus to the T20 World Cup.
“Feeling good, so got through Adelaide unscathed, so pretty happy," Cummins said on Channel 7 during the 4th Ashes Test in Melbourne on Friday.
“As of a few weeks ago, I was still coming back from a back injury so playing back-to-back Test matches was pretty high risk. Cool our heels for a little bit with the T20 World Cup next month," he added.
Cummins shares injury update on Lyon
Cummins further confirmed that veteran spinner Nathan Lyon will be out for a lengthy period as he has had surgery just a few days ago and will take at least a few months to fully recover. Notably, the latter had suffered an injury during the Adelaide Test and had been ruled out for the Boxing Day Test as Australia opted for a no-spinner strategy.
“He (Lyon) had surgery a couple of days ago, so he’ll have a lengthy layoff, I don’t know exactly, but it will be at least a few months," Cummins stated.
Cummins' stellar performance in 3rd Ashes Test
Meanwhile, Cummins had played a key role in Australia's victory over England in the Adelaide Test. He had picked up a total of six wickets during the match and was his side's top performer in the bowling department. Though the 32-year-old had spent the previous few months on the sidelines, he came back brilliantly and contributed immensely straight away.