Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has put his weight behind the star Aussie trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood for the ODI World Cup 2027, stating that the Australian think tank has been managing the trio for the quadrennial event. The trio went missing from the white-ball squads that will tour Bangladesh and Pakistan as doubts and speculations over their future caught the eyeballs. The Pakistan ODI series overlaps with the end of the IPL.
McDonald highlighted that the three speedsters wanted to play both series, but the management is looking at the bigger picture with their bodies ageing. "I think people look at the immediate games and go, 'Well, why aren't they playing there?'" McDonald said. "But if you actually work back from 2027 and look at what we've got coming up, this is the last significant break that we get to invest into their bodies to set themselves up to get all the way through to 2027. We are planning for them to be there in 2027".
McDonald clears 'misconception' around pick and choose
McDonald said that there is a misconception around the players picking and choosing series. Instead, he insisted that it was the management's call to give them rest ahead of what is a gruelling international season that kicks off in the latter part of August.
"I think there needs to be a lot of trust in what we're doing to be able to get them there. It's going to be a significant challenge, in particular for our fantastic (sports science and medical) team, who have done a great job over a period of time," McDonald said.
"I think there's almost a misconception that the players are sort of picking and choosing as to where they play and which series they play in. These decisions are made around the management of what is coming up with in the schedule - and they don't choose that. We work with them on it ... those players want to play. We just don't feel like it's the best time for them to play," he added.
'We have done this before in 2023': McDonald
The Aussie head coach cited the example of the 2023 World Cup when Australia had a busy international schedule in the lead-up; however, the three pacers were instrumental in Australia winning the tournament. "We have done this before also in 2023. The biggest difference is we're four years older.
"I think we're well placed if we're fit and healthy. And that's going to be the biggest challenge. How do we get the players through that demand? How do we manage them, in particular our fast bowlers?
"We are getting older, so that's going to create some different management challenges. They've been incredibly robust, a lot of those players, and a few have had a few recent (injury) pickups, so it's something that we need to invest a lot of time into."
McDonald looks at Tim David for ODI return
McDonald expressed that the management is open to Tim David's return to the ODI side after the finisher played all four of his ODIs in September 2023 and had confirmed 'no immediate plans' for a return. "It is something we're looking at," McDonald said. "Tim hasn't made himself available for ODI cricket as yet, amongst everything that he's doing. But open-minded that potentially that is a conversation down the track.
"That would be something that TD would need to come to us and signal his intention to play one-day international cricket. We used him in the build-up to the last World Cup. TD was someone that we felt could potentially play in that finishing number-seven role.
"Will we be exposed there? Can Tim be a part of that conversation? Maybe, but ultimately at this stage he's not available for one-day international cricket."
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