SRH captain Pat Cummins to miss crucial T20I series

Pat Cummins will skip Australia’s upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa, opting instead for a crucial fitness and training block as he prepares for a packed home summer, including the Ashes. The Test and ODI captain had already been rested for the T20Is against West Indies, and now he’s set to miss the three T20Is and three ODIs scheduled across Darwin, Cairns, and Mackay in August.

Another series miss for Cummins

“I’ll have a good training block for the next couple of months, six weeks or so,” Cummins said at Sabina Park before the third Test between Australia and the West Indies. “Probably not bowling, but lots of gym work. [My] body feels pretty good, but there’s always little bits and pieces you’re always trying to get right and then build up for the summer. So it’ll probably look like white-ball [cricket]…we’ve got some [matches against] New Zealand, India, potentially a Shield game and then into the home summer.”

The 31-year-old hasn’t played since the West Indies Tests and has only led Australia in two ODIs since lifting the World Cup in 2023. He missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year due to an ankle issue but is expected to return for the short T20I series in New Zealand and the ODIs against India ahead of the Ashes.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain, however, played the entire IPL 2025 despite his team failing to qualify for the playoffs. SRH had a campaign to forget, but Cummins took 16 wickets at an economy of 9.06.

South Africa Tour of Australia 2025 Schedule

Xavier Bartlett & Jake Fraser-McGurk earn Call-Ups

With Cummins and Josh Hazlewood resting post-Test series, Australia have turned to Xavier Bartlett and Jake Fraser-McGurk for the South Africa tour. Bartlett, fresh off a strong MLC campaign where he led the wicket charts, will bolster the pace attack. The 25-year-old has 11 wickets from seven T20Is at an average of 14.72.

Fraser-McGurk replaces Spencer Johnson, who is managing back soreness. Though Fraser-McGurk struggled for form during the IPL and MLC, selectors are backing his explosive potential. However, with Matthew Short, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell in the squad, McGurk is unlikely to start from the first T20I.

The T20I series against West Indies begins July 20 in Jamaica, followed by three matches in St Kitts. Australia will then head to South Africa with a changed squad. While the South Africa series ends on August 24, Australia will travel to New Zealand for three T20Is, in which Pat Cummins will be featuring.