Overview
- Head coach Andrew McDonald said on Monday, May 25 that Australia is planning for Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to be available for the 2027 ODI World Cup and that management rested them from the Pakistan and Bangladesh white‑ball tours as part of that plan.
- All three bowlers carry recent injury histories and will be in their mid‑to‑late 30s by the tournament, which raises real questions about availability and the need for careful load management.
- Pat Cummins remains Australia’s first‑choice ODI captain and a central figure in selection thinking, with Mitchell Marsh filling in while Cummins recovers and other options such as Tim David under consideration.
- Cricket Australia says it will invest in sports science and medical support and make coordinated decisions with players and selectors to give the trio targeted breaks rather than force continuous play.
- The strategy responds to a packed calendar — roughly 20 Tests plus limited‑overs fixtures from August 2026 to the World Cup and heavy IPL participation — and stands in contrast to continued uncertainty in India over the ODI futures of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.