Cummins eyes every Test after missing T20 World cup

2h ago Oliver Caffrey (AAP)

Pat Cummins says a desire to 'play all those Test matches' in a jam-packed 18-month schedule from August was behind the decision to miss the T20 World Cup

Pat Cummins admits aiming to be firing for Australia's monster 2027 was part of why he pulled out of the T20 World Cup.

The Test and ODI captain has been replaced in Australia's squad for the upcoming tournament in Sri Lanka and India by Ben Dwarshuis.

Cummins has been plagued by a back injury since Australia's tour of the Caribbean last July, with his only match since being the Ashes-clinching win in Adelaide.

When the urn was retained in just 11 days, Cummins and the Australian hierarchy decided he would sit out the final two Tests of the summer with an eye on the T20 World Cup.

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But a "minor setback" led to the star quick not risking his long-term health, especially given he endured years of back issues early in his career.

"It was really unfortunate," Cummins told AAP. "I feel pretty good, just a minor setback and just ran out of time really.

"I'll rest up for a few weeks and go from there.

"We knew after the (Adelaide) Test match we were going to need somewhere between four and eight weeks to let the bone settle right down before then building back up.

"Initially, we thought it might only be four weeks, because I was feeling really good, but just had a follow-up scan.

"They thought it probably needs another couple of weeks, so the timeline just became a bit too tight."

Australia's schedule, starting in August when they host Bangladesh for two Tests in Darwin and Mackay, is unprecedented.

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After the Top End games, Australia will embark on a Test and ODI tour of South Africa in September for the first time since the infamous sandpaper series in 2018.

They will return for four home Tests against New Zealand, before being on the road for much of 2027.

Next year involves a five-Test Border-Gavaskar tour of India, the pink-ball 150th anniversary Test against England at the MCG in March, an away Ashes series, an ODI World Cup, and a possible World Test Championship final at Lord's in June.

Cummins said he didn't want to be "chasing his tail" for the monster 18-month period ahead.

"We thought the first half of the year was a pretty good time to be conservative with the amount of cricket that's coming up," the 32-year-old said.

"We'll get it right, then hopefully that will mean you won't have to worry about it, and you can just go out and play all those Test matches.

'Whereas, if you're not careful with it now and it flares up, you're chasing your tail a bit."

Captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, Cummins hopes to lead his franchise when the lucrative competition starts on March 26.

"We'll just be guided by my back," he said.

"We'll have another scan in a few weeks, and if it's good, then we'll have a slow build-up.

"T20s are a little bit easier to get up for (than Tests), that's why I was so close to getting up for this World Cup."

Hazlewood's late arrival comes amid Aussie Cup concerns

Australia were whitewashed 3-0 in the recent T20 series against Pakistan, raising concerns about how they will perform in the World Cup.

They will be without Cummins and Mitch Starc, who has retired from T20 internationals. Josh Hazlewood will definitely miss the early part of the tournament as he returns from an Achilles injury.

"It wasn't our greatest few games (in Pakistan), but the guys are coming off a strong Big Bash, and a couple of guys coming back from injury for the World Cup," Cummins said.

"Morale is good. Chatting to a few of the boys from afar ... they know how big it is, they're desperate to get started and get into it."

2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Sean Abbott