Australia to rest fast bowling trio for India ODIs

Australia to rest fast bowling trio for India ODIs: The Australian selectors are trying their best to manage workload of fast bowlers.

In a bid to manage the workload of their fast bowlers, Australia are all set to rest their trio of fast bowlers including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins for the ODI series against India starting from January 12.

All the three fast bowlers are expected to play the fourth Test at Sydney. Having played four Tests in a row, the selectors are planning to rest them for the subsequent three-match ODI series. Having done that, it will keep them fresh for the two Test matches against Sri Lanka later in the summer.

However, it is easier said than done. With the looming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Australia would also be wanting their best bowlers to play all ODIs from this point onward. Therefore, lies the confusion which the Australian selectors and team management will have to sort out.

“It’s the great conundrum for us, really, how we manage our bowlers. For example, we might not play them in the next three one-dayers so they’re ready for the next two [Tests] to keep them fresh,” Langer was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Cummins (14 wickets at an average of 20.57), who has been the pick of the fast bowlers in the three Test against India, has also been a handy contributor with the bat down the order. Speaking of him, Langer said that the management would want to play him but practically can’t.

“He [Cummins] has been brilliant, he’s been outstanding but then – as soon as we do that they want to play and also then everyone else would be on our back saying: ‘Why aren’t they playing every single game?’ But if you play every game – we’ve also got a World Cup and Ashes next year – we want him fresh for those things,” Langer added.

“So getting that management right and staying true to the management, so we can have him [Cummins] fit and firing – we’ve got to be strong with that because there’s got to be a lot of people with different opinions as to whether they should play every game.

“But we know it’s really hard to play all year around because they need to keep their bodies as fresh and strong [as possible] and then be bowling at the level we want them to be at. It’s a real balancing act as well,” Langer further added.

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