Australia captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka after failing to recover fully from a persistent back injury.
The 32-year-old fast bowler has struggled with fitness issues for more than six months and featured in only one match during Australia’s recent Ashes series win over England.
Back Injury Ends World Cup Hopes
Although Cummins was named in Australia’s provisional squad, selectors decided against including him in the final list after medical assessments.
Ben Dwarshuis has been drafted into the squad as his replacement, while Matt Short has been dropped to make way for Matthew Renshaw, who recently made his T20 international debut.
Chief selector Tony Dodemaide said Dwarshuis offers valuable balance with his left-arm pace, strong fielding, and lower-order batting ability, which suits the expected conditions in the subcontinent.
Selectors Back Dwarshuis and Renshaw
Explaining the changes, Dodemaide highlighted Dwarshuis’ ability to swing the ball and use variations effectively in Asian conditions.
He also defended Renshaw’s inclusion, stating that his left-handed batting provides depth and flexibility in the middle order, especially with spin-friendly pitches expected in Sri Lanka.
With Tim David returning gradually from injury, selectors believe Renshaw will offer stability during the early stages of the tournament.
Australia Prepare Without Cummins
Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, are currently playing a three-match T20 series in Pakistan as part of their World Cup preparations.
Veteran batter Steve Smith missed out on selection despite impressive performances in the Big Bash League.
The defending champions will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on 11 February in Colombo, aiming to make a strong start despite the absence of their pace spearhead.
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