Cricket news 2024: Skipper Pat Cummins lifts lid on ‘overstated’ batting order

Pat Cummins has set the record straight on this summer’s opening pair, delivering the verdict on two fan favourites, but one big question still remains for the Test skipper.

Pat Cummins has set the record straight on Travis Head or Mitchell Marsh opening the batting – declaring never in a thousand years has that ever been even a remote a consideration for this summer.

Cameron Green’s season-ending back injury has turned the selection debate on its head.

Steve Smith can now seamlessly slot back in at No.4 and million dollar question changes from which current top six member was set for a shock promotion, to who will be the new face parachuted in to open for the first Test of the summer.

It’s a moot point now of course … but it’s still an intriguing question … given it seemed likely Smith was already shifting back down to No.4, who actually would have opened this summer if not for Green breaking down?

With Head and Marsh out of the running it becomes a pretty thin field … and maybe, just maybe it might have been Green himself thrust up to open in a straight swap for Smith?

We will never know, but Test captain Cummins says he was never “losing any sleep.”

Pat Cummins said Mitch Marsh won’t open the batting this summer. Picture: Getty Images

Despite putting the Head and Marsh speculation to bed, Cummins still believes the importance of the batting order in Test cricket is “overstated”, which suggests that picking the next best out-and-out batsman in domestic cricket – rather than that necessarily needing to be a specialist opener – remains the No.1 priority.

“We hadn’t really made up our mind to be honest. Not definitely. We were always going to see how the next little bit played out. The Shield games,” Cummins said at the announcement of his new deal as an ambassador for Prime Video in Sydney.

“Everyone had a couple of different thoughts.

“I’ve always, and I know Andrew (coach, Andrew McDonald) is the same, we don’t think the batting order is that big of a deal.

“You are going to bat at some stage. I know some people have favourite positions, but really, I think the importance of a batting order can be overstated.

“So I wasn’t losing sleep over it put it that way.”

Cummins said he choked on his cornflakes a couple of times at some of the names tossed up to relieve Smith of his opening duties.

“No. Trav or Mitch were never going to open this summer,” Cummins said.

“I woke up a few times to see headlines saying that was going to be the case, and I was like, ‘that’s very wrong.’ Because no way.

Travis Head is a proven match winner down the order for Australia. Picture: AFP

“Trav and Mitchy have probably won us more games than anyone else batting at five and six so I was very reluctant to move them.”

Head may open in February on spinning decks in Sri Lanka, but it’s a completely different proposition on Australian pitches.

Marsh might not be in line for a stunning late-career promotion to open, but Green’s injury setback has put the spotlight on the veteran all-rounder in a very different way.

Australia will be desperately hoping Marsh can fill Green’s void as a fully functioning fifth bowling option for the five-Test series against a super versatile Indian outfit.

Cummins said from his point of view there is no pressure on Marsh, because he is in the team as a batsman, and his bowling is only a bonus.

Cam Green has been ruled out for the summer and needs surgery on his back, Picture: AFP

According to the captain, bowling is the responsibility of the bowlers, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and himself – and as a result, having the likes of Scott Boland and Michael Neser ready and raring to potentially give the quicks a chop out for a Test or two will be more important for the summer than having an all-rounder in the XI.

Cummins has revealed how Mitchell Marsh will be kept in cotton wool in the hope he can play a vital role with the ball if and when called upon.

“It’s always the aim (for Marsh to bowl). Obviously he’s there for his batting but he always takes a key wicket whenever he’s called upon. I’m hoping he can bowl quite a bit this summer,” Cummins said.

“The nature of his body and his ankle in particular is we don’t necessarily want him bowling heaps and heaps in the lead-up. We kind of want to save his overs for the games.

“I think it’s a bonus (to have an all-rounder). It’s not essential. A lot of my early Test matches here in Australia, we played without an all-rounder, or played without an all-rounder that bowled really.

“I think the job Nath (Lyon) has been able to do – he’s able to bowl 25 to 30 overs a day. That’s basically taken out one and a half bowling spots as it is.”

Originally published as Cricket news 2024: Skipper Pat Cummins lifts lid on ‘overstated’ batting order