Pat Cummins is gearing up for his return to competitive cricket, with the Australian pacer resuming training ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The Australian Test and ODI captain was ruled out of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury he sustained during India’s tour of Australia earlier this year. However, he remains optimistic about his recovery and is eager to be back in action for the IPL.
“The ankle is all going strong,” Pat Cummins shared, expressing confidence in his progress. “I’ve been able to give it a good rest and slowly build up, which is something you don’t get to do when you’re constantly playing cricket.”
Cummins, who led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final in IPL 2024, is determined to go one step further this season. “It’s feeling as strong as it has for a fair while. The plan is to be fully fit for the IPL. I’ve got a few weeks of bowling ahead, building back up, and hopefully, I won’t have to worry about it for a long time.”
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The 30-year-old acknowledged that managing his injury is an ongoing process but emphasized that the recent break has helped him regain fitness. “It’s something we’ve decided not to address with surgery. Instead, we’ve focused on rehab,” he explained. “Having this break meant I could get a couple of cortisone shots and really focus on my recovery.”
Cummins also highlighted the importance of workload management in modern cricket, stating that selective breaks can extend a player’s career. “By missing the occasional tour, you actually end up playing more cricket over the year. It’s all about prioritizing key tournaments and staying at your peak.”
Pat Cummins has returned to bowling as he prepares for the IPL next month and World Test Championship final.#IPL #PatCummins #WTCFinal #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/hqjUX7xJQb
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) February 26, 2025
Australia has been without their premier pace trio—Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc—at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, leaving Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis to lead the attack. Cummins praised Ellis for his versatility.
“He’s a great asset. He doesn’t need the new ball to make an impact; he can bowl in the middle overs and at the death.” Despite missing key pacers, Australia’s campaign in the Champions Trophy got off to a strong start, thanks to a brilliant 120-run knock by Josh Inglis in their opening match against England. Cummins was full of praise for the wicketkeeper-batter. “Josh has been around the squad for years, running drinks on almost every tour. We’ve always known his quality, and now he’s proving it with centuries in multiple formats.”
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Inglis was well-supported by Alex Carey, who contributed 69 runs, strengthening Australia’s middle order. With multiple wicketkeeping options available, including young talent Sam Konstas and all-rounder Cameron Green, Australia has a healthy selection dilemma. “Both Inglis and Carey are in great form,” Pat Cummins said. “We’ve played two keepers in ODIs before, and there’s no reason they can’t coexist if they’re both scoring runs.”
Looking ahead, Pat Cummins is focused on the future, with major ICC events on the horizon. Following the Champions Trophy, the next big tournament is the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, followed by the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia—where Cummins will lead Australia’s title defence.
“These events come around quickly,” he remarked. “Right now, Test cricket and other tournaments take priority, but as the World Cup gets closer, it becomes a bigger focus.”
With Cummins on track for a return, Australian fans will be hoping to see their star pacer back at full strength, leading both in the IPL and in Australia’s upcoming international campaigns.
