Australia’s Pat Cummins ruled out of World Twenty20 event

THE ramifications of Australia’s fast bowling crisis have deepened even further amid news Pat Cummins is now no chance of being fit for the World T20.

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Pat Cummins of Australia bowls during day two of the tour match between Northamptonshire and Australia at The County Ground on August 15, 2015 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

THE ramifications of Australia’s fast bowling crisis have deepened even further amid news Pat Cummins is now no chance of being fit for the coveted World Twenty20 tournament either.

Medical staff and selectors had originally pinpointed the March showpiece in India as a potential return date for Cummins who was sidelined in September with stress fractures in his back.

Having lost spearheads Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc in the space of two weeks, the importance of getting the country’s most exciting young prodigy up in time grew considerably as Australia pulls out all stops in pursuit of the last crown to elude its cricketing trophy cabinet.

Starc met with Cricket Australia medical staff on Friday to discuss his recovery options, with surgery imminent.

However, Cummins has joined Johnson (retired) and Starc (ankle) as the latest star from Australia’s 50-over World Cup-winning attack to be virtually withdrawn from contention — leaving firepower and experience looking thin.

“Yeah I think (that was the original goal). Everything had to go really, really perfect and almost better than perfect … but we’ve sat down it’s probably just a bit too hard to get up for,” Cummins told News Corp.

“Everything is on track and going well … but I think it’s going to be an outside chance to be honest. I won’t start bowling until early-mid January and I’d have to ramp up really, really quickly and it’s probably a little bit of a risk for the injury.

“Even more so it takes a while to build confidence and get form back after not bowling for a few months so it’s probably just too tight a time line.”

Cummins white ball form in England back in August-September was ferocious, as he regularly tore in at 150km/h plus and his absence is a bitter blow as Australia searches for high velocity options.

The 22-year-old has been through all this too many times before, but admits this injury lay-off has been particularly frustrating given the enormous opportunities that have opened up in the Test team this summer.

“Hopefully they’re there when I come back,” he said.

Pat Cummins joins the list of frustrated Australian bowlers.

However, the news isn’t all bad for Cummins who has been told that when he does finally return, he will do so without restriction.

Last summer Cummins was placed on a strict white ball diet to get him ready for the World Cup and was held back from first-class cricket.

Despite being picked in the Ashes touring squad in the winter, it was after a 50-over game that Cummins broke down.

Now, Cummins has been told if he’s fit to bowl he’ll be fit to bowl in all formats.

“As soon as the World Cup finished there was no restraints, nothing,” said Cummins.

“There’s certainly no managing through one format to be right for the other. It’s available for everything hopefully.

“I want to start playing first-class cricket as soon as I can. Certainly next summer is definitely going to be fine, I will have been bowling for six months before then.”

Cummins has now identified a triangular one-day series in the West Indies in June or shorter form matches in Sri Lanka in July as potential return dates.

He has yet to decide whether to make himself available for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL in April, and will assess closer to the date whether it’s the right time and place to stage an injury comeback.

The young star will be passed fit to return as a batsman in grade cricket after Christmas.

Like the Test team, Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson are the leading candidates to fill the void for the Australian attack at the World T20.