"We’ll build towards that" - Pat Cummins turns his focus to 2023 World Cup as Ashes finale looms

Australian captain Pat Cummins has conceded that they will turn their attention to the 2023 ODI World Cup straight after the ongoing Ashes series. The 30-year-old has also highlighted the need to manage his workload and hinted at not playing all the games ahead of the marquee tournament.

Cummins, who replaced the retired Aaron Finch as Australia's ODI captain last year, started his stint with a 3-0 win over England at home. However, he has captained the national only twice so far and missed the three-game ODI series against India in March.

Ahead of the final Ashes Test, starting on Thursday, July 27, the New South Wales bowler revealed that the management clarified that he is first a bowler and then a captain.

As quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, he said:

"I see the white ball as very much we’ve got an ODI World Cup, that’s a big campaign. We’ll build towards that. I know the selectors have been really clear that I’m a bowler first in that team so if we need to manage some of those games leading into the World Cup that takes precedence over the continuity of being captain every single game. We’ll manage that, but there’s a great team around us of players and staff so while I’m the captain, and it’s a bigger workload it’s manageable."

With the right-arm paceman set to play his sixth consecutive red-ball game in over a month, Cummins looked exhausted in the 4th Ashes Test in Manchester. It also affected his bowling, returning with figures of 23-0-129-1.

"Felt like six Tests was going to be really busy" - Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins has dismissed any notion of exhaustion and feels he is in a good place. He added:

"I haven’t felt it so far. Coming into this series I felt like six Tests was going to be really busy. But it’s all been good. Obviously there have been some challenges, some moments when you scratch your head, but I feel in a really good place physically and in terms of the captaincy. I feel like I’m learning new things every game, and it’s been manageable.”

Celebrate the 29th birthday of Australia Test captain Pat Cummins by looking back at his blistering spell against Pakistan at the 2019 World Cup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CJHBSGPqQo

With 16 wickets in 7 innings, the 30-year-old Aussie captain is the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2023 Ashes series. Stuart Broad is at the top with 18 wickets to his name.