"Two matches on, bit of a break, two matches, bit of a break. I feel really well-placed" - Pat Cummins quashes fatigue talk ahead of Ashes finale
Australia captain Pat Cummins stated that he is in a good position to play the upcoming fifth Ashes Test, which will be his sixth red-ball contest since the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. The right-arm pacer has also had to manage his captaincy responsibility along with his bowling workload over the course of the English summer.
While the retention of the urn comes across as a great relief for the Men in Yellow, especially after they were trapped in a perilous situation in the fourth Test, they still have to win the final match to win the series outright. Australia last won a red-ball series in England under Steve Waugh's captaincy in 2001.
Australia went with an all-seam bowling attack for the fourth Test and they have a couple of injury concerns to address in the buildup to the series finale. Addressing the fitness status of the squad, including himself, Cummins told reporters:
“I remember turning up here in 2019 for the fifth Test, and I was wrecked. It’s probably the only time in my career where I thought I genuinely might not be able to play. But I still did a decent job then. And I feel in a much better position now."
He continued:
“There have been a couple of little breaks. Two matches on, bit of a break, two matches, bit of a break. I feel really well-placed. Starcy and Bolo [Scott Boland] and Joshy [Hazlewood] have all missed games. I feel like we’ve managed the resources really well and everyone is a pretty good spot.”
Mitchell Starc, who missed the series opener, has gone on to claim 15 wickets across the next three Tests. The left-arm seamer has been struggling with his shoulder of late following an awkward fall during the fourth Test, but Cummins feels that he will be fit to bowl at The Oval.
The skipper said:
“He’s got something going on there. But he’s come out and bowled [at Old Trafford]. We weren’t really sure about it. He’s got a history with it right now.”
Barring Cummins, the rest of the Australian pace attack has been rested at some point or the other in this series. Hazlewood was dropped for the third Test for Scott Boland while the two bowlers swapped places for the fourth Test.
"Nath Lyon’s got a very good record here" - Pat Cummins on the possibility of Australia fielding a spinner in the playing XI
Not so long ago, India were deliberating about playing a second spinner in the playing XI at The Oval for the WTC Final. Australia are also somewhat caught in a similar predicament, but over naming an all-seam bowling attack yet again or bringing in Todd Murphy yet again.
Australia lost the services of Nathan Lyon due to a calf tear in the Lord's Test. While Todd Murphy came in as a like-to-like replacement in the next Test, Australia opted to break a 11-year-old tradition by not naming a frontline spinner in their playing XI for the fourth Test.
Expecting the record of spinners at the venue to come up constantly over the course of the Test, Cummins said:
“Nath Lyon’s got a very good record here, so I think that’ll be part of the conversation this week."
Nathan Lyon has claimed 14 wickets in four Tests at the iconic venue, including five scalps during the WTC Final against India.
Will Australia make any changes to their playing XI for the fifth Test at The Oval? Let us know what you think.