Cummins has been rehabbing since Australia’s last Test against the West Indies in July and has not bowled competitively since. While Cricket Australia has not confirmed his participation for the Ashes, Starc believes the experienced skipper knows exactly how to switch on when the time comes.
“Playing with Pat and being close with Pat, he doesn’t need much. Whether he bowls three warm-up balls or the first over of the game, he’s on the money. He just knows when to switch on really quickly. That comes with experience and age,” Starc said.
The Australia speedster returned to bowling ahead of the ODI series against India following a break since the Caribbean Test tour. Commenting on Cummins’ approach, Starc told ESPNcricinfo:
“He’s ultra-positive as always, and there are still some weeks to go before we get to Perth for the Test prep. Hopefully we see a lot of him through the summer, and we’ll see where we get to in Perth.”
Depth in Australian Bowling
Starc and Josh Hazlewood are set to play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria at the SCG from November 10-13 before moving on to the first Ashes Test starting November 21 in Perth. Speaking about Australia’s bowling unit, Starc highlighted the versatility and preparation differences among the “big four” of Australian pace: Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, and Scott Boland.
“We all prepare slightly differently. I feel like at times I need to bowl more for preparation, whether it be training or after layoffs,” he said.
Addressing concerns about Australia’s fast-bowling depth, Starc praised the domestic system:
“There’s a fairly talented group of 19-20-year-old bowlers coming through. The depth is strong, and that gives confidence even if someone misses a game or two.”
Starc’s remarks underline that, despite injury uncertainties, Australia’s pace attack remains in capable hands ahead of the highly anticipated Ashes series.
