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Australian Men's squad for ICC 2023 World Cup

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MenInG

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Australian ODI squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup:

Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c) *

Sean Abbott (NSW/Parramatta District Cricket Club)

Ashton Agar (WA/University Cricket Club)

Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)

Nathan Ellis (TAS/Lindisfarne Cricket Club)

Cameron Green (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

Aaron Hardie (WA/Willetton Cricket Club)

Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)

Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)

Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)

Mitchell Marsh (WA/Fremantle Cricket Club)

Glenn Maxwell (VIC/Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club) *

Tanveer Sangha (NSW/Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club)

Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)

Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)

Marcus Stoinis (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

David Warner (NSW/Randwick Petersham Cricket Club)

Adam Zampa (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)
 
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Australia have announced some surprise selections in their 18-player squad for this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India.

Uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and inexperienced all-rounder Aaron Hardie are the surprise inclusions, with Test star Marnus Labuschagne the notable omission from Australia's squad that will be reduced to 15 players closer to the start of the tournament on October 5.

Under ICC regulations squads must be finalised prior to September 28, with Australia’s first game at this year’s World Cup coming against hosts India in Chennai on October 8.

Schedule for Cricket World Cup 2023 updated after Qualifier
Captain Pat Cummins will be racing against the clock to be fit for that opening contest, after it was revealed the fast bowler picked up a fractured wrist during the recent Ashes series against England.

Cummins has been advised to let the injured area rest for six weeks and the right-armer is hoping to return to playing prior to the commencement of the World Cup.

Chief selector George Bailey revealed Cummins has 'an undisplaced fracture of his left radius which requires six weeks rehabilitation', but believes the rest prior to the start of the tournament will do him good.

"We view a period of enforced rest for Pat as a positive ahead of this important World Cup campaign.

"There are still a number of games he could play before the World Cup which is more than enough for him to have a strong preparation."

Australia will prepare for the World Cup with a five-match series against South Africa next month and the likes of Tanveer and Hardie are sure to be given the chance to impress during those matches.

While Tanveer has been a part of previous T20I tours for Australia, he is yet to win a debut and could be another spin option alongside Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa on the spin-friendly Indian pitches sides are expected to encounter.

Hardie is likely to be competing with the likes of Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell for all-rounder places in Australia’s side in India, while the omission of Labuschagne is a surprise as the right-hander has only missed eight 50-over contests for his country since debuting at the start of 2020.

Bailey believes the squad is well balanced and is confident Australia can claim a sixth World Cup title following their previous successes in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015.

"This side has been extremely impressive for several years in limited-overs cricket," Bailey said.

"There is an enormous amount of skill and experience in the group, which you need in a World Cup."

Marsh wins first crack as Finch's replacement as Australia T20 captain

Australia's preliminary World Cup squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

ICC
 
Really strong and well balanced squad indeed. I am really impressed that Cummings played the last test after fracturing his left wrist. Captain leading from the front!
I think that Labuschagne's exclusion is justified. He is a talented cricketer but he averages just 31 after 30 ODI's
 
Australia great Mike Hussey believes his former side are in with an excellent chance of winning the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India this year and has nominated the players that must fire if they are to claim an unprecedented sixth title.

Hussey won a World Cup with Australia in the West Indies back in 2007 and more recently played a major role in helping England claim their maiden ICC Men's T20 World Cup title last year when part of their coaching setup.

While Australia fell short at the most recent edition of the 50-over showcase when they were bundled out by eventual champions England in 2019, Hussey feels the fact most of their squad remains intact from that event should prove a major positive this time around.

"I think Australia’s got a great chance as they have kept a (large) group of players together for a period of time now," Hussey said.

“They all know their roles pretty well and they’ve got a bit of continuity in their team as well.

"I think they’ve been trying a few little different things. They performed well in the series (in March) against India in Indian conditions and that will give them enormous confidence coming into the World Cup.

"And Australia has a great history in World Cup events. So, I know they will be very determined to do extremely well.

“There’s so many great teams. It’s hard to pick a favourite but I think Australia will give themselves a big chance to be right up there."

Australia were the first team to name their squad for this year's World Cup, with the five-time champions announcing a major surprise by leaving out star batter Marnus Labuschagne from their squad and including uncapped spinner Tanveer Sangha in a group of 18 players that will need to be reduced to 15 prior to the cut-off date on September 28.

Hussey expects spin to play a major factor on the sub-continent pitches teams will encounter during the World Cup in India and has nominated Australia's premier slow bowler as a crucial cog in their title hopes.

"Adam Zampa could play a big role for Australia throughout the tournament," Hussey said.

"He has been really good over the last few years.

"And I think Mitch Marsh is someone that can certainly have a big impact. He has been given a great role, batting in the top three now and he is playing with enormous confidence. So, if he gets his confidence up, he can be a really tough man to stop."

But Hussey knows it will take more than just a handful of players to fire if Australia are to win another World Cup title and that all squad members must make a contribution during the six-week tournament.

"You can’t rely on just one of two key players to win you a World Cup and it’s going to take a collective effort,” Hussey added.

"But I think for Australia to do really well, they need their big guns to really step up and I guess when you think of that, you think of Steve Smith and Pat Cummins."

ICC
 
Star Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is battling a fresh injury just weeks out from the start of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup after he hurt his ankle during a training session in Durban.

Maxwell aggravated his ankle at training ahead of Australia's T20I series against South Africa on Wednesday and will now fly home to be alongside his wife as they await the birth of their first child.

While Maxwell is expected to recover from the ankle concern in time for Australia's World Cup campaign, national selector Tony Dodemaide said no risks would be taken with the 34-year-old given his injury history that includes the freak leg injury he picked up at a friend’s party late last year.

Dodemaide is confident Maxwell will return to national colours during Australia’s ODI series against India at the end of next month and be fully fit for the World Cup.

"We will monitor Glenn's recovery with a view to him being available for the three-match ODI series in India in advance of the World Cup," Dodemaide said.

Maxwell's absence opens the door for Matthew Wade to earn a recall to Australia's side, with the veteran receiving a call-up for the series against South Africa and could provide another wicket-keeping option alongside Josh Inglis.

Up to seven first choice players are now missing the T20I portion of Australia’s tour of South Africa, with Maxwell joining Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green and David Warner on the sidelines.

Australia’s first match against South Africa is in Duban on Wednesday.

Australia T20 squad to face South Africa: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
 
MenInG said:
Star Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is battling a fresh injury just weeks out from the start of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup after he hurt his ankle during a training session in Durban.

Maxwell aggravated his ankle at training ahead of Australia's T20I series against South Africa on Wednesday and will now fly home to be alongside his wife as they await the birth of their first child.

While Maxwell is expected to recover from the ankle concern in time for Australia's World Cup campaign, national selector Tony Dodemaide said no risks would be taken with the 34-year-old given his injury history that includes the freak leg injury he picked up at a friend’s party late last year.

Dodemaide is confident Maxwell will return to national colours during Australia’s ODI series against India at the end of next month and be fully fit for the World Cup.

"We will monitor Glenn's recovery with a view to him being available for the three-match ODI series in India in advance of the World Cup," Dodemaide said.

Maxwell's absence opens the door for Matthew Wade to earn a recall to Australia's side, with the veteran receiving a call-up for the series against South Africa and could provide another wicket-keeping option alongside Josh Inglis.

Up to seven first choice players are now missing the T20I portion of Australia’s tour of South Africa, with Maxwell joining Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green and David Warner on the sidelines.

Australia’s first match against South Africa is in Duban on Wednesday.

Australia T20 squad to face South Africa: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
Click to expand...
Are all those 7 players injured or just being rested?
 
Australia have issued a warning ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup with a clinical 3-0 sweep over South Africa in their T20I series in Durban.

The five-time World Cup champions confirmed the series sweep with yet another dominant performance on Sunday as they cruised to a five-wicket victory on the back of a career-best T20I innings of 91 from opener Travis Head.

Head was adjudged Player of the Match after he smashed eight fours and six sixes during an entertaining 48-ball stay, as Australia chased down South Africa's decent total of 190/8 with more than two overs remaining.

Head was last month named in Australia's preliminary World Cup squad for this year's 50-over showcase and the left-hander showed he could play a big part at the event with his maiden T20I half-century against the Proteas.

"It's nice to be back and contributing," Head said.

"There's been limited opportunities in this format for a while. I'd been struggling a little bit to find my tempo and how I wanted to go about it at the top."

All-rounder Mitch Marsh was named Player of the Series for his 186 runs and the Australia captain could also play a big role in his side's World Cup push in India if he can replicate the hard-hitting form he showed against South Africa.

The series was Marsh's first as Australia's new T20I captain and the 31-year-old was thrilled his side could ease to a comfortable series triumph.

"I'm really proud of a pretty young group coming over here and winning the series 3-0," Marsh said.

"We had a great team effort. We prepared really well, and we took the game on.

"We had a bit of luck at times, but as a team we had the mentality of being really positive."

While South Africa badly missed the services of pace duo Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje throughout the series, white-ball coach Rob Walter was making no excuses for his side's below-par performances.

"There's no running away from it - their batting skill was better than what we had to offer with the ball," Walter said.

"We got a hard lesson in terms of not executing our skills. It was an eye-opener for the bowling unit."

The teams will now get some valuable 50-over practice ahead of the World Cup when they play a five-match ODI series in South Africa over the next fortnight. The first match of that series will be held in Bloemfontein on Thursday.
 
Provisional Australian squad for the ICC 2023 World Cup

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named the following men’s provisional 15-player squad for the ICC 2023 World Cup. A final 15-player squad is due to be confirmed to the ICC by September 28.

Provisional Australian World Cup squad:

Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c)

Sean Abbott (NSW/Parramatta District Cricket Club)

Ashton Agar (WA/University Cricket Club)

Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)

Cameron Green (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)

Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)

Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)

Mitchell Marsh (WA/Fremantle Cricket Club)

Glenn Maxwell (VIC/Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club)

Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)

Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)

Marcus Stoinis (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

David Warner (NSW/Randwick Petersham Cricket Club)

Adam Zampa (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)

Chair of Selectors George Bailey said: “Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are on track in their return to play programs. All are well placed to come back online in the coming weeks and potentially for selection in the upcoming series against India.

“There are eight one-day matches still to play in South Africa and India before the final squad is due to be declared. They are followed by two World Cup practice games, which offers plenty of opportunity to continue the build for the tournament.”
 
Australia are waiting to see whether star batter Travis Head will be fit in time to play at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Head was forced to retire hurt when hurting his hand during the fourth ODI against South Africa at Centurion on Friday and head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed after the game that the left-hander had picked up a fracture.

"It's a confirmed fracture," McDonald said. "As to the nature of what sort of time frame that lends itself to, that will be assessed tomorrow.

"I think he's going to go in for more scans tomorrow to get a detail of that, then we'll work out the management of it from there. I'm not a medical person but I think it's a bit higher up than the finger itself...it's in a joint (in the hand) somewhere. Fingers crossed with the World Cup fast approaching."

Head has been included in Australia's preliminary 15-player squad for the World Cup and the 29-year-old could be facing a race against time to be fit for his side's opening match of the tournament against host India in Chennai on October 8.

Teams competing at the World Cup have until September 28 to submit their final 15-player squads to the ICC for the tournament and changes can only be made after that date with permission from event organisers.

If Head is ruled out then Australia have a plethora of options to replace him, with Test star Marnus Labuschagne and hard-hitting all-rounder Tim David among the leading candidates.

ICC
 
They usually do well in 50 over world cup and they would surely be one of the best teams in the upcoming World Cup, expect them to reach the Semi-finals at least.
 
marsh
Warner
Smith
Labu
Maxwell
Short
Carey
Cummings
Starc
Hazlewood
zampa
 
Agar/Zampa/Hazlewood/Cummins/Starc/Marsh (6th) will be a good side. That is quality. Agar can bat. So can cummins. They should go with 6 solid batsmen trust them to do the job. IF they try to compromise on 5th and 6th bowling option it will haunt them.
 
I can never discount Australia because they are the most remarkable tournament side in world sports...but that is one of the weaker squads they have put out in recent times and their ODI results are indicative of that.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Agar/Zampa/Hazlewood/Cummins/Starc/Marsh (6th) will be a good side. That is quality. Agar can bat. So can cummins. They should go with 6 solid batsmen trust them to do the job. IF they try to compromise on 5th and 6th bowling option it will haunt them.
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Don't think so. They'll go batting heavy as they always do.
 
There is a larger point about winning the toss and batting first. The previous cycle had a chase first bias. But this time, these new kooka balls are making it hard to chase, lol.
 
Australia haven't been in great form during the lead-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, but you can almost be guaranteed that Pat Cummins' side will find their groove during the six-week tournament.

Squad
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.

Best finish at the tournament
Winner (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)

Australia are the most successful country in the history of the Cricket World Cup, having tasted success a total of five times in the history of the tournament.

Their first triumph came on Indian soil in 1987, while the powerful side at the turn of the century claimed an unprecedented three titles on the trot in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

Their most recent victory came on home soil when they defeated New Zealand in a one-sided final in 2015.

Results in the last 10 ODI games
(Most recent first): L L L L L W W W W L

Fixtures

vs India (8 October), Chennai

vs South Africa (12 October), Lucknow

vs Sri Lanka (16 October), Lucknow

vs Pakistan (20 October), Bengaluru

vs Netherlands (25 October), Delhi

vs New Zealand (28 October), Dharamsala

vs England (4 November), Ahmedabad

vs Afghanistan (7 November), Mumbai (Wankhede)

vs Bangladesh (11 November), Pune

Key Match
vs India (8 October)

There's no doubt the tournament hosts are among the favourites to win the World Cup and Australia can gain some early momentum with an upset victory in Chennai.

While India proved victorious during the recent ODI series against Australia on the sub-continent, the stakes will be higher this time around and the sides will have some different personnel at their disposal.

Experienced campaigners Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are likely to return from injury, while the Aussies will also be hoping that explosive left-hander David Warner can continue his good recent run with the bat.

This clash looms as an important match for both sides, with a spot in the semi-finals sure to be tightly-fought later in the tournament.

Key Player
Mitchell Starc

The Australia pacer has proven to be one of the most consistent quicks in the world in recent times and will be relied upon yet again to make early breakthroughs for his side.

Starc has the ability to get plenty of swing with the new ball and his record at previous World Cups is among the best of any current day player.

The left-armer topped the wicket-taking charts at the 2015 edition of the World Cup alongside New Zealand seamer Trent Boult with 22 scalps and bettered that at the most recent tournament in 2019 when leading all comers by taking 27 wickets.

His wicket haul in the 2019 event is the best-ever performance by a bowler in a Cricket World Cup.

If Australia are to claim a sixth World Cup title in India then Starc needs to play a major role.

While Australia's 50-over form since the last edition of the World Cup in 2019 has been patchy at best, expect them to be out to prove a point this time around in India.

At the last World Cup Australia were bundled out of the tournament in the semi-finals by eventual champions England and Cummins' side will be keen to atone with an improved performance in the sub-continent.

Playing in Indian conditions will hold no fears for Australia, with the majority of their stars having performed well in the tricky conditions for their team on previous trips to the Asian country.

The hand injury Travis Head picked up recently has thrown a small hiccup in Australia's preparations for the six-week tournament, but they still have enough firepower in their line-up to be one of the most likely champions at this year's World Cup.

ICC
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Agar/Zampa/Hazlewood/Cummins/Starc/Marsh (6th) will be a good side. That is quality. Agar can bat. So can cummins. They should go with 6 solid batsmen trust them to do the job. IF they try to compromise on 5th and 6th bowling option it will haunt them.
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Marsh will probably get injured while bowling. The guy is quite brittle when it comes to bowling. Plus Australian management loves Stoinis's bowling for some reason.
 
Travis Heads' injury and the inclusion of Marcus Fraudonis - the fraud all-rounder will cost them.

If Maxwell doesn't pull up well, that's another issue as well. Poor selections and injuries hurting their campaign. After 30 years of strong ODI teams that always looked liked finalists, OZ have looked vulnerable in the last 5 years after Warner/Smith were banned.

They have the players but no long-term planning/thinking.
 
Crazy how they have 7 pace bowlers in their squad.

Starc
Hazelwood
Cummins
Stoinis
Green
Marsh
Abbott

Also, 4 players than can bowl spin/slow.

Agar
Zampa
Maxwell
Smith
 
YousafTheBeast said:
Crazy how they have 7 pace bowlers in their squad.

Starc
Hazelwood
Cummins
Stoinis
Green
Marsh
Abbott

Also, 4 players than can bowl spin/slow.

Agar
Zampa
Maxwell
Smith
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Aussie always had a huge pool of players to be selected from. 74 front-line pacers, 3 allrounder pacers, 2 genuine spin allrounders. Excellent depth.
 
YousafTheBeast said:
Crazy how they have 7 pace bowlers in their squad.

Starc
Hazelwood
Cummins
Stoinis
Green
Marsh
Abbott

Also, 4 players than can bowl spin/slow.

Agar
Zampa
Maxwell
Smith
Click to expand...
Stoinis, Green, Marsh all are crap in fast bowling, similarly Maxwell and Smith in Spin.
 
Very good squad. Looks set for Semi Finals. After that, its just a matter of getting hot at the right time.
 
YousafTheBeast said:
Crazy how they have 7 pace bowlers in their squad.

Starc
Hazelwood
Cummins
Stoinis
Green
Marsh
Abbott

Also, 4 players than can bowl spin/slow.

Agar
Zampa
Maxwell
Smith
Click to expand...
That's not 7 pacers. That's 3 genuine seamers, a not so good bowler who can hit, a potentially great seam allrounder , a number 3 forced to open who used to bowl seam up and a fraud on par with Faheem/Shadab/Jadeja.
 
Australian squad for the 2023 ICC Men's World Cup
The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named the following men’s 15-player squad for the 2023 ICC World Cup.

Australia:

Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c)

Sean Abbott (NSW/Parramatta District Cricket Club)

Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)

Cameron Green (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)

Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)

Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)

Marnus Labuschagne (QLD/Redlands Cricket Club)

Mitchell Marsh (WA/Fremantle Cricket Club)

Glenn Maxwell (VIC/Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club)

Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)

Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)

Marcus Stoinis (WA/Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club)

David Warner (NSW/Randwick Petersham Cricket Club)

Adam Zampa (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)

Travis Head has been included as has Marnus Labuschagne, as the only change from the preliminary squad for Ashton Agar, who has not recovered from a calf injury.

Matt Short and Tanveer Sangha will remain with the squad in India until at least the conclusion of the warm-up matches.

Chair of Selectors George Bailey said: There has been one change to the original preliminary squad of 15 announced a month ago with Marnus replacing Ashton. This was a tough call but unfortunately, we couldn’t carry both Travis and Ashton into the tournament with the injuries they have. We have made the decision to carry Travis through the early stages with the aim of him being available around the mid part of the tournament. He has been a really important player in this ODI team and we are hopeful his return can provide a positive impetus as it gets to the business end of the tournament. Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are progressing well through the rehabilitation of their respective injuries and it was pleasing to see them return to the playing eleven last night.

Ben Oliver, Executive General Manager, High Performance and National Teams, said: We are enormously proud of these 15 players who will represent Australia in the World Cup over the six weeks of the tournament and wish the squad all the very best. It has been a highly successful year for Pat and the squad with a home summer and an Indian Test tour leading into winning the World Test Championship, and then retention of the Ashes in England. We thank the players and the staff who have done an excellent job in maintaining their standards of preparation and performance over what has been a full 10 months and we’re looking forward to a highly competitive World Cup campaign.
 
Lol. So Australia replace a frontline spinner with a batsman. Now they have just Zampa in the squad. I don't see them making the semis this time around. At the business end, when the pitches will get slower, they will not be able to even bowl more than 20 overs of spin with 10 overs from Maxwell.
 
mumtaz said:
Lol. So Australia replace a frontline spinner with a batsman. Now they have just Zampa in the squad. I don't see them making the semis this time around. At the business end, when the pitches will get slower, they will not be able to even bowl more than 20 overs of spin with 10 overs from Maxwell.
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Lol. They have got their squad selection right more than Pakistan and India. Especially the combination.

It's pretty easy to see based on the template they are trying to execute.

Stoinis is the only poor selection in this squad . Rubbish player for ODIs. Should have replaced him with Mathew Short maybe.

Just a matter of getting Travis Head recovered and back into match fitness. And maintaining fitness of the whole squad really .

India in particular is going to find out how fraud combination theories and players are going to kick them in the teeth
 
Pat Cummins of Australia spoke to the media during an Australian press conference at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Chennai, India.

[Reporter:]

When you take on the host, what are the factors that you have to look into, especially to put on a good start?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I think there's a couple of obvious ones. The home crowd's going to be noisy and very one-sided, which is nothing new, and it's great. Also, they've played a lot of cricket in these conditions, so it's always tough playing against someone on their home grounds, but with that also comes pressure. There's a billion fans that are going to be watching closely, cheering them on. Yes, there we go.

[Reporter:]

You've been Ashes' captain now, you've been Test captain for a while, you've been ODI captain for a while, but just being World Cup captain, there haven't been too many who have done that for Australia. Has that sunk in and what does that mean to you, to be World Cup captain?

[Pat Cummins:]

Oh, it's really cool, first of all. Yeah, I think the most exciting thing about a World Cup is it is a campaign. It does feel like you're there with 14 other guys and you're on a journey to try and make the next couple of months as special as it can be. So, I love that. There's no forward planning and you're trying to manage different formats now. We're here for a World Cup and everyone's fully focused on that. So, I've really enjoyed that and the boys have been awesome so far and yeah, it's my third World Cup and first one is captain. They're all really special.

[Reporter:]

World Cup memories - are there any that stand out for you?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I mean ‘99, I didn't watch it live, but seeing those replays over and over again of the run out against South Africa, them standing on the Lords changing room balcony. 2003 I remember watching a little bit of Andrew Symonds, remember he had a great game and watched that one. And then 2011 was just as I started playing for Australia, so I saw a little bit of that, but I mean 2015 I still say is basically my career highlight. I didn't play in the final, I played a couple of games, but being part of that was just something special.

[Reporter:]

Pat, how is Marcus Stoinis – is he available for this game? I suppose as an extension do you have a team for us yet?

[Pat Cummins:]

We'll announce a team tomorrow at the toss. Stoinis, yeah, still touch and go. He's going to have a run out this afternoon, but probably up against it, he's got to jump through a few hoops. So, yeah, we'll see.

[Reporter:]

And just in terms of one-day cricket and where it's at, heading into this tournament, just What's your view of where ODI cricket is at as a format? Obviously, the World Cup is still huge, but do you think it has relevance outside this? I know Mark Nicholas, the MCC president, has said that it shouldn't be played outside world events.

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, it's a tough one. There's so much cricket on that you've seen over the last few years, you've got to prioritise different things at different times. So, there's been times where we've missed white ball cricket to focus on Tests. There's times where we've missed one day cricket to kind of focus on T20. And in a World Cup year like this we've probably more tended to rest from the T20s to get ready for a one-day World Cup so it's tough there's more and more cricket going in the calendar so there's going to have to be some give and take yeah, it's hard to know.

[Reporter:]

How much of the ODI series in March and last month helped you in this World Cup? Do you think Australia have the edge when it comes to head-to-head in World Cups with eight wins and four losses?

[Pat Cummins:]

It's no doubt helpful playing a lot here, not only for Australia but IPL. I've probably played more white ball cricket in India than I have in Australia over the last 10 years, so it's conditions we know really well. And I think the positive thing is that we've played some really good one-day cricket against India over here over the last few years so we can draw back on that and that can be front of mind. In terms of a World Cup record, we probably can't take too much credit for the World Cup wins in 1980s and 90s and early 2000s, but we're really happy with how we've played over here lately.

[Reporter:]

Your team has a lot of all-rounders in teams - like you, England, New Zealand. Going into this tournament, there's a lot of talk about all-rounders being the deciding factor of this tournament. So having so many all-rounders, how much does this flexibility help you?

[Pat Cummins:]

It's a luxury. I think in one day cricket more than any other formats you need all-rounders - you've got to try and find 50 overs. So, we feel really blessed to have people like Cam Green, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis in the side. They're like gold it means you can bat deeper so we feel in a really good place.

[Reporter:]

Those who have seen Australian teams playing for the last thirty years those who have seen on television or otherwise on the ground, have seen a special character of Australians being very aggressive, a little brash, sledging here and there, but this generation has mellowed down a bit. So, if the answer is yes, is it good or bad?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I don't know if it's for good or bad. I'd say it's more a reflection of who we are as people. You know, in any team you've got different characters. Most of our guys are pretty chilled out. So, I'm always proud seeing the players out in the field be really similar to the players who they are or the people who they are off the field. And yeah, I've been really proud over the last couple of years in all formats. You've seen a lot of that. But it is a World Cup. I think you're going to see some boys get fired up at different times. We're all passionate. We're all ridiculously competitive. So, I never really mind if a couple of our boys are puffing the chests out and getting themselves into the contest.

[Reporter:]

Mitch Marsh has been among the most prolific six-hitters in ODI cricket this year, almost on the same level as some of your opponents like Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. Having followed his career from close quarters, what do you think makes him such a powerful six-hitter?

[Pat Cummins:]

Oh, I mean, first of all, just his size. He's huge. And he's always been a power hitter. I think that's his most natural kind of trait as a batter. He's super powerful, can clear the ropes easily. He had an amazing T20 World Cup in 2021. And over the last couple of years, he's had a few injuries along the way, but when he has played, he's been top quality. So, he's one of those guys that is intimidating to bowl to. Top of your mark, you look and it's a big human on the other end and you know he can hit the ball a long way. So hopefully you see plenty of that this series.

[Reporter:]

On the all-rounders we saw Mitch Marsh bowling back in the game [inaudible] How do you plan to manage those all-rounders? Is it a case that Marsh could be available to bowl in one game, Stoinis or Green in the next, or do you plan for them to be available to bowl in every game?

[Pat Cummins:]

The plan at the moment is for whoever is playing to be on the table to bowl. Obviously if things shift then we'll manage that. The good thing is I think each game between Maxwell, Marsh, Green, Stoinis, I think we'll have lots of bowling. So, there might be some games where one or two of the all-rounders either don't bowl or bowl very little. Just the way the overs pan out. But yeah, Mitch is really good and all on track. So yeah, that's kind of been the design to hold him back from South Africa and start building up for the World Cup and it's yeah, he's going really well.

[Reporter:]

Over the years we have been used to – Whenever an Australian team comes to the World Cup big headlines, like something like - Mitchell is a star, the top order should be aware of that, or we will thrash the Indians, something like that. Was it because of the characters; the Warnie’s, the Ponting’s, from the 99 to 2007 phase, those characters, that's why we see that slightly. Is it because of the characters now you have in the team from compared to the previous generation?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I'd say so. I mean, times change as well. That's, 20 years ago, so, you know, the world changes a little bit. But I think, as I said, that probably doesn't come naturally to a lot of our guys. We want to go about our work quietly and when you're out in the field, you'll see the boys be just as aggressive. Davey Warner and Mitch Marsh are aggressive when they go out there and play, but we don't have to show it in getting in the opposition's face and things like that. But, yeah.

[Reporter:]

What about spicy quotes ?

[Pat Cummins:]

Spicy quotes? Mitchell Marsh is huge. There's your headline.

[Reporter:]

Adam Zampa has obviously been managed pretty carefully because he's so important. How's he tracking? I saw training - look like he had a bit of a gash on his face.

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, he swam into the pool wall apparently. He said he had his eyes closed and thought he was swimming in a straight line and swam into the step in the pool. So, looks impressive. Yeah, no, he's all good. He's just a little bit sore. So, we've had a pretty quiet week or two. But yeah, he's right to go.

[Reporter:]

We saw David Warner bat right-handed against Ashwin. So how do you see the prospect of him batting again against Ashwin, Jadeja and of course, Kuldeep? How do you see spin play for your batters?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, they're a good bowling lineup, especially here in home conditions. So, they're going to be challenging. The good thing is we've played them a lot. So, our batters will have their own plans. And again, we've had success against them a few times. They've bowled well against us a few times as well. Yeah, Davey, we'll see if he bats right-handed or left-handed. Yeah, he's probably better left-handed, I reckon, but we'll see how we go.

[Reporter:]

Talking about your spin bowling, obviously with Adam missing out, the onus is going to be on Zampa as well as Maxwell. And coming to Maxwell, do you think it would be convenient for him to bowl 8 to 10 overs per match, especially in these conditions?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I think so. You know, again, it's good that we've got plenty of bowling, but yeah, we've seen Max, he's a front-line spin bowler. In the 2015 World Cup, he was the sole spinner in basically every single match I think other than one so really happy with how he's going. I thought he bowed really well in that third ODI against India So yeah, we've got 20 overs of spin out there if we need it.

[Reporter:]

Glenn Maxwell [inaudible] Is he working on new variations? What do you think?

[Pat Cummins:]

He’s always working on some things, yeah even if it’s not variations, its different fields, different ways you bowl - and yeah, I think with age and experience as well, you just get a bit more clever and you need that as a spin bowler. So, he's got an amazing knack of if he misses out with the bat, he contributes with the ball and vice versa. He's always in the game. So yeah, no doubt expecting a big tournament from Maxi.

[Reporter:]

Just want to know from you the importance of starting the tournament on a good note, especially against teams like India who are also the hosts of the competition.

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, every game is super important in World Cup, you can't take it easy in any of them. And what a better way to start than India, in the home conditions you'd imagine, they're probably tournament favourites. So yeah, if we win tomorrow that's awesome, if not, well, we know where we stand and maybe we need to change a few things but or you know double down on what we do well but yeah, it's exciting so yeah it should be a cracker.

[Reporter:]

Though most of the Indian wickets look flat on their surface but ball stops a bit do you think that is going to be one of the major challenges

[Pat Cummins:]

I hope so as a bowler. It's funny over here - you get the full range of wickets you get some better you know spin or stop and yet 250 might be a good score and then there's other wickets where you feel like you need more than 350, cause it's just so true. So, yeah, I guess one of the things I do like about playing in India is over the course of 50 overs it does feel like the wicket and the ball changes a bit. You know in Australia it can be pretty flat the whole 50 overs, here it does go through different phases.

[Reporter:]

You spoke about the number of seam bowling all-rounders with Green, Marsh and Stoinis. How do you strike that balance between them and maybe having enough specialist pacers too because you can't fit all of them in?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, that's it. I guess the luxury about the all-rounders is they do make the side as the top seven batters. You know, they are genuinely pick themselves from their batting and their bowling is kind of a bonus. So, yeah, we're lucky that we're going to have seven or eight bowlers to choose from, but no doubt you'll see more from the specialist overs, 40, 50 overs of specialists, and the all-rounders will chip in when they need to.

[Reporter:]

This ground is considered as the happy hunting ground for Australia from the 1987 World Cup onwards. And also, the first match in this ground was during that ‘87 World Cup between Australia and India. Do you think you will keep that legacy in tomorrow's match?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, hopefully. Yeah, it's a ground we've played quite often. It feels like whenever we tour India, there seems to be a game here. A few of the guys have played for CSK as well, or you know, a fair bit here for IPL. So yeah, it's a nice ground and we like playing here. Hopefully we keep that going.

[Reporter:]

I just wanted your assessment of what the pitch looks like. In March, 269 turned out to be your winning score here, and it took spin progressively through the game. Do you reckon it's going to be somewhat similar and obviously different to the ‘350’ games that you guys have been playing recently?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I hope so. Yeah, hard to know really. We'll obviously have a look tomorrow as well. We're still a day out. But yeah, it does seem like that's a bit of the trend is as the game goes on, it does spin a little bit more. But yeah, it looks like a good wicket. Hard, bit of grass. But yeah, I'm probably the wrong person to ask, because I'm terrible at reading wickets.

[Reporter:]

But how do you see as a captain, when you approach the middle phase of the 50-over spot, basically 11 to 40, do you see it as important for teams to actually go out and pick wickets or do you think okay, let's go safe for the defensive bowling option? How do you see captains in general going to use this - especially you being a bowling captain? So even if they got eight runs per over, it's OK to take four wickets so that you pull them back? So, do you see a lot of innings being bowled out early in this tournament? And do you see it dew when you practice?

[Pat Cummins:]

Yeah, I mean, first of all dew – there was a little bit two nights ago when we trained at night. So, it's hard to know how big a factor that is. You know, in T20 it's quite a big factor. In one day, cricket it's a bit longer, so maybe the ball gets a bit softer or, it's not as big a factor as T20, but it's hard to know. Yeah, in terms of that middle phase, I think that's the interesting part of ODI cricket, because there's a few ways you can go about it. You know, as a captain, the questions you want to ask are, are you trying to get out overs from your fifth or sixth bowler, or do you try and front end it and bowl your main guys trying to go after those wickets? But then if it doesn't work out your last 10 overs might be a bit more exposed. Sometimes if the ball's not swinging or spinning, maybe you try and just build pressure and get wickets that way, hopefully. So, it's, it is an interesting phase. You've got to try and think a little bit differently. So, it's probably one part of the capacity I do enjoy.
​
 
David Warner is too crucial for this team in white ball cricket in subcontinent

If he doesn’t fire , they have a nothing batting line up.

Smith and Labuschane should be ashamed of themselves at their timid performances
 
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