Australian captain Pat Cummins has conceded regular injuries has made Australia’s World Cup preparations a “little tougher” with “sore bodies” among the squad after a torrid lead in to Sunday’s opening clash with India.
Cummins himself has played just four games since the end of the Ashes, two against India before bowling just six overs in a warm-up win over Pakistan after overcoming a fractured wrist.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis remains under an injury cloud going in to the tournament having failed to bat or bowl in either warm-up matches after managing to play just one of the three matches against India.
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Star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who is managing an ankle issue, said the workload in an ODI had been compared to a game of footy and the recent schedule of 10 50-over games across South Africa and India in the lead-up plus the packed tournament schedule couldn’t be underestimated.
“There’s a few sore bodies through a few tours thrown in before the start of a World Cup,” he said after the final warm-up win over Pakistan.
“I think the South African tour was quite a busy, hectic one. It’s a tough format one-day cricket. Someone likened it to, the amount of running we go through in a one-dayer is quite similar to a footy game and we are playing three footy games in under a week.
“It’s a lot that goes through your body.”
Maxwell and fast bowler Mitchell Starc have only just returned to international cricket but Cummins said while the lead-up hadn’t been ideal, there were no excuses in the pursuit of a sixth World Cup title.
“Some injuries into there as well, yeah, made a little bit tougher,” he said.
“But the good thing is we‘ve played plenty of games over in South Africa, against India and even these warm-up games. So, it feels like it’s all come together in the last week or so.
“Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, a few others have just kind of come in and are now absolutely game ready. So, yeah, it’s I think ODI, you need a few all-rounders. And yeah, I feel pretty happy with where everyone’s placed at the moment.”
World Cup hosts have won the past three tournaments, including the Australians in 2015, but Maxwell said the familiarity with India for himself and so many teammates through IPL stints possibly took away India’s advantage this time.
“I feel like so much of our side has had so much experience and time over here, you are used to the culture, used to the little intricacies that come with being a tourists over here,” he said.
“It doesn’t feel as much as a home advantage as it has in previous years.
“I remember the first few years we came over here it did feel foreign. But there are guys who have had more than 10 tours to India, spent upwards of three months every year here, it’s not as foreign and it feels like a more open world cup where anyone can win and these conditions might bring everyone in to it as well.
“There’s that sort of excitement and its kind of relaxed everyone. You have to go out there and play your best cricket on the day and if it doesn’t quite work, then turn up the next game and try and do the same thing.”
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