Australia’s Test and One Day International (ODI) captain Pat Cummins has reaffirmed his commitment to the national team, stating it remains his top priority. This follows reports that some players were dissatisfied with Cricket Australia’s recent central contract offers.
Cummins expressed his desire to play in every Test match for Australia. He also mentioned his participation with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), noting that the tournament’s schedule aligns well with the Australian break, allowing players to compete in India.
“Nothing has changed for me, my priority is Australian cricket, No. 1, particularly Test cricket. As Test captain, I never want to miss any Test matches and I will be available for as many Aussie games as I can. The IPL fits in with our holiday break, so that’s the obvious one, but my main focuses are Australian cricket and I don’t see that changing in the next few years,” Cummins said during the New Balance Grey Days 2026, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
According to the source, with a busy Test schedule leading up to the 2027 IPL, there will be extensive discussions involving Cummins, Cricket Australia, and SRH about his availability. Australia is set to play 10 Test matches between December and March, including a five-match Border-Gavaskar series in India. They will also travel to England for the Ashes next year, where Cummins is expected to play a key role.
Cummins has stated that he feels healthy and injury-free, looking forward to representing Australia in the upcoming Test matches.
“Stress fractures in your back can often reoccur, so we aimed to eliminate that risk. If I encountered an issue in six months, it could keep me out of many of the upcoming Tests. I feel great physically, my back is fully healed and strong. We took a careful approach to my rehab to ensure I can participate in all the Test matches,” he added.
Cummins will miss the white-ball series against Bangladesh and Pakistan. Notably, he has played only two ODI matches since leading Australia to the 2023 ICC World Cup title in India.
After the IPL, Australia’s next Test series will be against Bangladesh at home, starting on 13 August.