Australia vs. West Indies Test Cricket: What Pat Cummins told Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris about recall chances

Australia captain Pat Cummins has opened up on the controversial decision to overlook Cameron Bancroft, hinting when we might see him back in the squad.

Pat Cummins has reassured Cameron Bancroft that he has no issues with the West Australian and the opener will be “back in Aussie colours pretty soon”.

Speaking on the eve of the first Test against the West Indies at Adelaide Oval, Australian captain Cummins said he called Bancroft and fellow opener Marcus Harris after they were pipped for a spot in the Australian Test squad despite a vacancy arising following David Warner’s retirement.

Selectors opted to recall Cameron Green to the XI and shift Steve Smith to opener alongside Usman Khawaja, while Matthew Renshaw has been selected as the spare batter in the squad.

The decision to bypass Bancroft was controversial because he had been far and away the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield since the start of last season.

Australian Captain Pat Cummins confirmed he called Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris after they were overlooked for a spot in the Australian Test squad. Picture: Getty Images

It gave further prominence to the conspiracy theory that Bancroft had been black-listed from the Australian side owing to residual fallout from the ball-tampering affair of 2018, for which he, Smith and Warner were all suspended.

Australian selection chair George Bailey rejected that assertion last week, while Cummins said that he too had no problem with Bancroft.

“Yeah, I have absolutely no issues with Bangers, love what he brings,” Cummins said.

“(I told him) ‘just don’t change. We’ve loved playing with you in the past and keep doing your thing. I’m sure you’ll be back in Aussie colours pretty soon’.”

Cummins said he told Harris and Bancroft, both of whom are 31, that opportunities were not necessarily far away.

Cummins reassured Cameron Bancroft that he has no issues with the West Australian and vowed he would be “back in Aussie colours pretty soon”. Picture: Getty Images

“Called them both,” Cummins said. “Obviously private phone calls but no real surprises.

“Just (that) we love what they both are doing in first-class cricket. We love what they bring to any side they are playing in. They are doing all the right things.

“Unfortunately, they both just missed out on this one. So the message was ‘don’t change, we’re loving what you’re doing and in international cricket there are always injuries or, you know, these guys aren’t going to be around forever.

“Marcus and Cameron are still relatively young, as is Renners. So once that opening comes up at some point, any one of them we’re confident can jump straight in and do a really good job.”

Cummins is confident the likes of Harris, Bancroft and Matt Renshaw will slot in when a spot in the team opens up again. Picture: Getty Images

Cummins was initially lukewarm on the idea of Smith moving up from No.4 but said he believed the elevation could extend the former captain’s international career.

“It’s a new challenge for him, which I don’t think you can underestimate,’’ he said.

“I’ve never seen him as happy and as energetic as he’s been around the nets the last couple of days. He can’t wait to get out there.

“Seeing someone who’s basically achieved everything in the game get really excited for a new challenge … about how he’s going to maybe go about it a little bit differently.”

Green is returning to the team after being squeezed out of the XI following Mitch Marsh’s exploits during the Ashes.

Cummins downplayed the idea of any extra pressure being on the all-rounder.

“He’s played enough Test cricket,’’ he said. “The way he kind of found himself out at the side is really by Marshy knocking the door down as opposed to Greeny doing anything wrong or underachieving.

“So I just encouraged him to go and be himself, play his own way, play at his own tempo.

“It’s a position where I think he averages 60 or something in Shield cricket, has scored a lot of runs there.

“So it’s his spot, take it, do it his way.”

Originally published as Australia vs. West Indies Test Cricket: What Pat Cummins told Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris about recall chances