Pat primed for Sri Lanka Tests despite hip niggle

Pat Cummins is confident his preparation for his second overseas Test campaign as captain will not be affected despite a host of injuries to his fellow bowlers, as well as his own ongoing hip niggle.

Australia were still determining the severity of Ashton Agar’s side injury on Wednesday after the spinner became the fifth bowler to go down in the space of 10 days during the side’s first ODI victory over Sri Lanka in Kandy the previous evening.

With Mitchell Starc yet to get the stitches in his busted index finger out and only one reserve quick currently in the ODI squad, Cummins will have to shoulder a greater workload during the five-match 50-over campaign.

But the Test skipper is confident his preparation for the red-ball games will not be affected.

“We'll try our best for that not to happen,” said Cummins.

“There was always going to be some things that crop up so it's not ideal the amount of injuries that have happened, but we’ll strike that balance.

“Test matches certainly are certainly front of mind even in this series, so I don't think much will change with what I'm going to do this series.

“This is the best prep possible – an ODI series (that is) high-quality tough cricket.”

In good news for the visitors, allrounder Mitch Marsh batted for the best part of an hour in the Pallekele nets on Wednesday though he appears a little way off full fitness after straining a calf during the T20s last week.

Scott Boland also trained after linking up with the one-day squad having left the Australia A tour in Hambantota and looks set to play his first international limited-overs matches in six years.

None of the three pacemen who played in Tuesday’s two-wicket win – Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson – will play all five ODIs given the tight schedule of five games in 11 days.

Cummins, the world’s No.1 Test bowler, said he enjoyed playing without the captaincy in his first game in three weeks but has half an eye on the two-Test series in Galle.

He will be closely monitored as he manages a hip injury that he has been carrying for some time and which cut short his recent Indian Premier League campaign after flaring up.

“It's nothing major at all,” said the 28-year-old who led Australia to a drought-breaking Test series win in Pakistan earlier this year. “It's just been niggly there for a little while.

“That back end of the IPL it just felt like it just got really sore in that last game. I needed a bit of a break. So in the end, it actually worked out okay, I got three weeks rest.

“It's something we manage is bowlers always joke about how something suddenly starts feeling good and then something else pops up. So it's nothing to be worried about.”

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022

June 7: Australia won first T20 by 10 wickets

June 8: Australia won second T20 by three wickets

June 11: Sri Lanka won third T20 by four wickets

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 14: Australia won by two wickets (DLS)

June 16: Second ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 19: Third ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

All Sri Lanka v Australia international fixtures will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports

Australia A fixtures

Australia A squad: Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee

Sri Lanka A one-day squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Pabasara Waduge, Kamindu Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Janitha Liyanage, Sahan Arachchi, Pulina Tharanga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Shiran Fernando (will not play due to injury), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Nishan Madushka, Ashen Daniel,Nisala Tharaka

June 8: Australia A won by seven wickets

June 10: Sri Lanka A won by four wickets

June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota

June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota