Cummins not ready for Test recall: Waugh
Dec 7, 2016 - 6:38 PM Australian selector Mark Waugh has all but ruled out handing Pat Cummins a surprise recall for next week's first Test against Pakistan at the Gabba.Cummins' impressive return to one-day cricket after 15 months out of the game with a back injury has former greats including ex-selector Allan Border calling for the star quick to play in Brisbane.
Cummins claimed 4-41 and regularly hit speeds of 150kph in Australia's second ODI win over New Zealand on Tuesday, having gone for 2-62 in his comeback game on Sunday.
"Especially in that it's only his second game back after a long hiatus, just to come in and bowl with that sort of pace and get some important wickets, he's just going to grow in confidence and the rhythm's going to get better and better so look out," Border said on Fox Sports' Inside Cricket.
Border said he didn't mind the idea of Cummins playing in the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, which former Australian paceman Brendon Julian noted may only last three days.
"Day-night at the Gabba, it's seaming around - why not? ... You probably can pick him," Julian said.
Brad Haddin also wants Cummins back playing at the highest level, saying even "14 overs a day" against Pakistan would help.
"The more we get him playing the game against quality players (the better)," Haddin said.
"He's played a couple of games of Futures Leagues and I don't think that's going to help him.
"He needs to be bowling against good batsmen to learn how to bowl again. It's good that he's got pace, but he needs to be bowling against batsmen that if he makes a mistake, they'll jump on him."
Waugh, though, said selectors had made the mistake in the past of rushing the injury-plagued Cummins back too quickly and were likely to resist the temptation this time around.
"He hasn't played any four-day cricket," Waugh said.
I think his program is Big Bash and then maybe a Shield match early next year."
As with Cummins, Waugh was enthused by Mitch Marsh's unbeaten 76 off 40 balls in the second ODI and urged the all-rounder to continue batting aggressively - and relaxed - in his own bid to earn a Test recall.
"I see him as a sort of an Ian Botham-type player and a (Andrew) Flintoff, a real hitter of the ball," Waugh said.
"So occasionally they're going to play a shot where you think 'well, that wasn't called for'.
"But that's his best way of operating."
Marsh says he plans to do just that after being dropped during Australia's series loss to South Africa last month.
"I think in red-ball cricket over the last couple of years I probably haven't played my natural game," he said.
Source: AAP
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