Pat Cummins adamant he and Mitch Starc can play all five Tests against India

Pat Cummins and Mitch Starc bowled more than half of Australia’s overs in Brisbane, but the Test quicks have no plans for a rest.

Two injuries in two Tests for Australian quick Josh Hazlewood won’t change captain Pat Cummins’ plans for he and fellow frontliner Mitch Starc to push through the workload of the full five-match series against India.

Cummins said the myriad rain interruptions in Brisbane, which pushed the third Test into a draw, “actually helped” workloads, with a decent break before the Boxing Day clash in Melbourne also playing a role in keeping the skipper’s body relatively fresh.

Both Cummins and Starc were forced to shoulder extra workload in India’s first innings when Hazlewood was ruled out of the game, and the series, with a calf injury, having also missed the second Test in Adelaide with a side strain.

Amid regular weather delays, and a two-over Indian second innings, Cummins and Starc bowled 48.1 overs of the 80 India faced in the drawn Test.

But with Scott Boland set to return for the MCG clash, and the series locked 1-1, Cummins said he and Starc should have no issue playing through the summer.

“Nothing is for certain, we’ll see how we pull up, but today we’re fine and I can’t imagine that changing,” Cummins said.

“We’re feeling really good, it was hot (Tuesday) but we’d had about seven days or so off bowling after Adelaide, so we were fresh and ready to go.

“If anything, the rain breaks actually helped us get a bit of a break.”

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bowled more than half of Australia’s overs in Brisbane. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

All-rounder Mitch Marsh has bowled only 23 overs through the opening three Tests having come in a little “underdone” according to coach Andrew McDonald.

Marsh pulled up sore following the opening Test in Perth and selectors included Beau Webster in the Test squad as cover.

But Marsh has suggested he no longer has any issues with his back and while his use was limited at the Gabba, Cummins said it was more tactical in case Marsh was needed in the fourth innings and he could bowl more when needed.

“It was a bit of an eye to the second innings, with a fresh new ball, we would have leant on Mitchy a lot to try and take those 10 wickets,” Cummins said.

“It’s always a bonus having the all-rounders.

“I suspect we will call on Mitchy enough in the next few Tests to get us a breakthrough or two when we need it.”

Cummins said it was unclear when 33-year-old Hazlewood would be “able to go again”. Australia will play two Tests against Sri Lanka in February following the series against India.

Hazlewood endured a difficult run where he played just three Tests between the end of January 2021 and start of June 2023.

“He’s probably one of the most disciplined professional sportspeople you’ll ever meet,” Cummins said.

“I don’t know when he will be able to go again, but I think you’ve seen this series how much we rate him and how much of an impact he can have.”