Out of action at the ICC Champions Trophy, Pat Cummins eyes IPL 2025 return

The revival of the ICC Champions Trophy after eight years saw a significant hindrance as primary prospects from multiple teams marked an absence. In what seemed like a plethora of injury updates, Australia appeared to be the worst hit ahead of the marquee event. While Mitchell Starc opted out of the ICC tournament due to personal reasons, skipper Pat Cummins had to sit out with an ankle injury. Now, as Australia runs against South Africa, England, and Afghanistan for a semi-final qualification in Pakistan, Cummins, in Australia, is focusing on his recovery, which is anticipated to be completed in time for IPL 2025.

Pat Cummins confident for IPL 2025 return

Pat Cummins recently discussed the advantage India holds at the ICC Champions Trophy. While the World Cup-winning skipper acknowledged the prowess of the Men in Blue, Cummins couldn't help but recount how playing all their matches in Dubai would benefit Team India. With Pakistan officially hosting the marquee event, India refused to travel to the neighboring country, citing security concerns for the players. Eventually, Dubai was chosen as the venue to host all of India's games, including the semi-final and final, if they managed to reach that stage.

Nonetheless, after correcting an Australian outlet for misquoting him, Pat Cummins remains focused on his training. The Australian skipper was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury, which he picked up during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The captain explained that while it's a recurring issue, the discomfort flared up during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Bracing up for the WTC Final in June against South Africa, Pat Cummins is eyeing to amp up his workload in IPL 2025 to mark a fitting return before the Test.

"The ankle is all going strong, been able to give it a good rest and then been building up slowly, which you don't get to do when you play lots of cricket. It's feeling as strong as it has for a fair while. Should be fine [for the IPL], that's the plan. So have a few weeks of bowling, building back up, and then hopefully don't have to worry about it for a while," Cummins said.

IPL 2025, where he will return as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, the runners-up last season, will serve as the ideal platform for Cummins to regain his rhythm. The workload here would aid the skipper in further fortifying his form for the three-match series against West Indies following the WTC Final. Moreover, the Kangaroo clarified that he is open to missing some white-ball assignments set ahead of the Ashes, which commence in November later this year.

"Sometimes, by missing the odd tour, you actually end up playing more cricket for the whole year. I think in the past, you used to play everything, whereas now, absolutely, you try and make sure the players are at their peak for as long as you can for the year and to play as much of the important stuff each year. It's just the way of the world. Everyone's used to it," Cummins remarked.