We’re not done: Pat Cummins makes a bold claim about the future of Australia’s pace trio
Age is just a number and injury setbacks are only temporary setbacks for Australia’s golden generation of fast bowling. Despite being over 30 and undergoing grueling rehabilitation cycles over the past year, Australian cricket’s ‘Big Three’ – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – have no intention of disbanding their legendary partnership anytime soon.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Australian captain Pat Cummins made a bold statement about their future, confirming that the trio have their sights set on a massive calendar that includes next year’s ODI World Cup, the Ashes in England and a Test tour of India in the winter of 2026-27.
“Yes, that’s the plan,” Cummins said when asked if the trio would remain intact until at least the exciting 2027 season.
“We’ve got a big ODI World Cup next year so there’s plenty of cricket. I’ll definitely be playing. I know the lads very well – they have no intention of leaving anytime soon. They’re fit and they’ve both been fantastic this IPL. So fingers crossed we’ve got a lot more cricket left in us.”
The longevity of the trio remains the envy of world cricket. The left-arm old man, now 36, has managed his workload carefully and will not turn up for international duty until October 2025 and withdrew from the T20Is to preserve his body for longer formats. Meanwhile, Hazlewood, 35, and Cummins, 33, continue to carry the burden across formats, despite both recently having to go through serious injuries.
Cummins missed the first half of IPL 2026 to recover from a severe hip injury sustained during the West Indies tour last July that sidelined him for most of the Ashes. Similarly, Hazlewood missed the Ashes entirely due to a complex hamstring strain and a secondary Achilles tendon problem. Still, both have produced a seamless return to top form in the ongoing IPL, with Hazlewood playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Cummins leading Sunrisers Hyderabad into the playoffs.
IPL or T20 World Cup?
In addition to individual workloads, Cummins also reflected on the changing tactical landscape of the shortest format. After a relentless onslaught of 250-plus at the start of the current T20 cycle, the Australian captain has seen a visible, welcome regression back to the average where the bowlers defend.
“It’s probably a little bit of both,” Cummins explained when evaluating whether the sudden drop in explosive scores was due to a tired surface or batter fatigue. “Now you’re getting some used wickets and you’re also getting teams that are probably more comfortable playing 180-200 wickets than 250 wickets. I also think the bowlers are coming up with different plans, especially in the first six overs, trying to protect the ball. It’s been a ridiculous start to the season so maybe it’s gone back a little bit to what’s changed.”
This strategic development makes the grueling nature of franchise cricket uniquely challenging. When asked if navigating the grueling two-month IPL schedule is tougher than winning the condensed T20 World Cup, the Sunrisers skipper balanced the scales.
“I’m not sure it’s harder because it’s the same challenge for every team. But it’s definitely a different challenge,” Cummins concluded. “You’re here for eight or nine weeks and you have to be consistently good throughout that time. They’re both tough. I’m not sure if one is tougher than the other, but they’re definitely different challenges.”
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
20 May 2026 19:19 IST