‘It’s a squad mentality’: Why Pat Cummins could miss out on playing at T20 World Cup

Australia’s attack looks as if it will be structured around spin at the T20 World Cup, with not even vice-captain Pat Cummins safe from the axe.

Cummins knows he could be on the chopping block at the World Cup. Picture: Scott Barbour / AAP

Not even T20 vice-captain Pat Cummins is guaranteed a spot in the Australian line-up at the upcoming World Cup, with Aussie selectors poised to structure the side’s bowling attack around spin.

The wickets in the United Arab Emirates look as if they will favour spin bowlers, and depending on whether coach Justin Langer opts to rely on Marcus Stoinis or Glenn Maxwell as all-rounders, there may only be room for two specialist fast-bowlers in the Aussie XI.

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Cummins said he wouldn’t be deterred if two of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Kane Richardson were given the nod ahead of him when the tournament began for Australia on October 23.

“It’s a really good problem to have. We’ve got six, seven or eight guys right at the top of their game in our squad, from a bowling point of view,” Cummins told reporters on Thursday.

“(The bowling line-up) might change from game-to-game. The good thing is we’ve got plenty of guys to pick from.

“There’s a possibility for anyone (to be overlooked for selection). It’s a World Cup. Whatever’s best for the team, whatever the selectors think is the best side to win. I want to play so we’ll see what happens, but someone’s going to miss out.

“You still might get a chance. It’s professional sport.”

Cummins is committed to doing whatever is best for the team. Picture: Michael Dodge / AAP

Cummins said there was still plenty of opportunity to learn from the experience of a World Cup, even without being selected for the XI, and that no individual player was bigger than the team.

“We know 15 doesn’t fit into 11 in this squad. We’ve made it really clear, it’s a squad mentality,” he said.

“I know in 2015 (at the World Cup), I felt like I could still get a lot out of it even when I wasn’t in the XI, so we’re trying to instil that in everyone.”

Cummins said he was unsure whether spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar were guaranteed to line up in every game, given the conditions.

“In terms of Zampa and Agar being locks, I don’t know. I’m not a selector but I’m sure they’ll work that out in the next day or two,” he said.

Australia’s World Cup practice match against India was Cummins’ first game of cricket since April, but the 28-year-old said having a full pre-season with NSW helped him to maintain his match fitness, despite the lack of gametime.

“I trained every day with NSW. It gave me a really good base to get my body right and to work on a few things, which you just don’t get the chance to do when you’re playing all the time,” he said.

“It was good to have a really good, solid five months of work. I feel really refreshed.

“I was going flat out for the last month, knowing that we might not get a heap of gametime before the World Cup started, so I feel really good. I’m in a great place.”

Cummins became a dad for the first time earlier this month. Picture: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

Cummins didn’t take a wicket in the hefty loss to India on Wednesday night (AEDT) and was expensive at 0-33, but said he wasn’t concerned by the ramifications of the practice match on the rest of the tournament.

“I wouldn’t look too far into it,” he said.

“It’s a practice match. People are trying things.

“I got a lot out of it. You can try different skills in the nets, but it’s not until you get out into the game where you can get a feel for how effective they might be.”

“I’d look at it for what it is. It’s a practice match.”

Originally published as ‘It’s a squad mentality’: Why Pat Cummins could miss out on playing at T20 World Cup