Cummins named Starc’s replacement for India Tests
Pat Cummins has been named as Mitchell Starc’s replacement for the third and fourth Test against India after the left-arm pacer was ruled out due to a stress fracture on his right foot.
The 23-year old pacer returned to competitive cricket earlier this year after being on the sidelines for long due to a stress fracture on his back. Cummins, who was the Man of the Match on his debut Test against South Africa in November 2011, hasn’t played a Test since then.
Earlier this year, he returned to Sheffield Shield after a gap of six years in the last match and ended with eight wickets against South Australia.
“It’s unfortunate to lose Mitch out of the squad in India. In selecting Pat, we were looking for a strike bowling replacement option,” Trevor Hohns, Cricket Australia’s national selector, said on Saturday (March 11).
Pat has impressed in his return to cricket this summer with consistent performances in his ODI, Twenty20 International and Big Bash matches. He has also had a very good Sheffield Shield return for New South Wales, after six years off, where he made a notable Shield best 4-57 in the first innings, before bettering those figures in the second innings with 4-47 in his man-of-the-match performance.
