Australia's stand-in coach David Saker says resting Pat Cummins during Indian series is Plan B

Pat Cummins has been an integral force in the Australian pace attack in the recent few months. The pacer has displayed some scintillating performances to consolidate his place in the side, which once boasted of bowlers like Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath amongst others. And now, Australia’s stand-in coach David Saker has said that resting Cummins during the upcoming Indian series is tertiary.

The 24-year-old is set to lead an inexperienced fast-bowling attack when they take on the Men in Blue in 5 one-day internationals and 3 T20Is over the next month. Saker concedes the star right-hander is ready to up his ante yet again after he pushed himself to the limit in oppressive conditions on the recent Test tour of Bangladesh.

Saker, Australia’s fast bowling coach who is standing in as head coach for Darren Lehmann on the India tour, said, “At this stage, we’re planning for him to play all the games. We’ll look at (resting him) it’s obviously been brought up between all of us. He’s really determined to play well over here. It’ll be a game-by-game basis, we’ll play it by ear.”

“We know that his workloads are up there, but we know it’s an important series. It’s Australia v India, you don’t get any bigger than that,” he further added.

Starc, Hazlewood, and Pattinson are currently at home nursing minor injuries

Australia doesn’t plan on putting Pat Cummins in cotton wool for their limited-overs tour of India, but stand-in coach David Saker said to rest him at some stage during the series may be necessary to keep the star quick fresh for the Ashes. However, the Victorian added that resting Cummins during the Indian series is only Plan B.

Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and James Pattinson are currently at home nursing minor injuries ahead of England’s arrival this summer. All three of them are expected to play in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield before the first Test at The Gabba in late November.