Australia skipper Pat Cummins hopes to play all three one-day internationals against India after recovering from a wrist injury. At the same time, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell will miss Friday’s series opener in Mohali.
Maxwell will join the squad on Friday after recovering from an ankle injury, while Starc is rehabilitating from a groin ailment from the Ashes series in England.
“My wrist is all healed now… hoping to play all three games,” Cummins said Thursday before their final warm-up series before the World Cup in India on Oct. 5.
Steve Smith is expected to recover from a wrist injury, while opener Travis Head has a fractured hand and is iffy for the World Cup.
“We want to get used to these conditions, hopefully win some games, but we don’t want to be cooked by the first (World Cup) game,” Cummins added.
“We’ll try a few combinations and give some players a chance, but we’d like to structure up like we’ll play in the World Cup.”
Australia has two more pace-bowling all-rounders in Cameron Green and Sean Abbott. Marcus Stoinis shared the new ball on the South Africa trip.
“You need five bowlers, so more all-rounders can boost your batting,” Cummins added.
“We can choose four true bowlers or three and bat an all-rounder at No. 8. Hopefully Maxi (Maxwell) returns later in the series, but the other three men have bowled well.”
