While Australia have struggled this past month in the absence of their best quicks, it may have helped them build crucial pace depth, with Pat Cummins now questioning whether the ‘Big Three’ can play in all formats.
The Aussies clearly cannot afford to play star quicks Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins in all of Tests, ODIs and T20s.
Those three bowlers missed both of Australia’s tours in the past month due to injury, with the Aussies losing all six of their matches in England, and then winning three of five T20 matches in the tri-series in Zimbabwe.
Right now, that trio’s focus should be on becoming the world’s best Test pace attack, with white ball cricket a lesser priority.
The best-case scenario is that, if they are managed well, the trio could play Tests, plus one of the two shorter formats. That would mean that Australia could field two at any one time in an ODI series, and one of them in a T20 series.
An ODI pace attack of Hazlewood, Cummins and Billy Stanlake would still be potent, as would a T20 combination of Starc, Stanlake and Andrew Tye.
Josh Hazelwood and Mitchell Starc (AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)
The exception to this careful workload management could come during a major global tournament, like next year’s World Cup or the World T20 the year after. On a risk-reward basis, it would be worth playing all three quicks in the World Cup, and Starc and Cummins in the World T20.
In between these tournaments, however, Australia will need to be mindful of offering the three as much rest as possible.
We have seen in the past month how vulnerable Australia are in ODIs without any of that trio on the field. Now imagine if their concurrent injuries had come about at the time of a major Test series, like next year’s Ashes in England. That would be a disaster.
An insightful article on Monday by ESPNcricinfo’s Daniel Brettig showed Cummins and Hazlewood have bowled the second and third most overs, across all formats, of any quicks in world cricket since the start of 2017.
Only South African superstar Kagiso Rabada, with a mammoth 803.5 overs, has had a heavier workload than Cummins (670.3 overs), and Hazlewood (650.4 overs).
Cummins suggested in the article that it may be too difficult for any of the Australian quicks to play all three formats:
“I’d love to play every single game for Australia, but realistically I think you get up for the Test matches and then make sure you’re 100 per cent for the ODIs and then taking one series at a time,” Cummins said.
“You’re making sure you’re 100 per cent right to go but knowing if you’re not, it’s not worth it. There’s so much other cricket and so many other guys that are banging down the door, you can’t play unless you’re 100 per cent right to go.”
In the absence of the Big Three, Australia fielded a very green pace unit across the past month. Not only were they without Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins but also quicks with international success behind them like James Faulkner and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
This left the pace unit far too inexperienced and the rawness was brutally exposed at various stages.
The flipside is that, putting poor results aside, young pacemen with obvious potential – like 23-year-old Stanlake and 21-year-old Jhye Richardson – got valuable games.
Billy Stanlake (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright
Both showed glimpses of rare talent in England and Zimbabwe, but lack the consistency and confidence in one’s skills that comes with experience.
By the time of the World T20, both Stanlake and Richardson may well be world-class short-form bowlers. If they are, then the tough times they’ve been through in the past month will surely have helped lay the foundation for that success.
To handle the rigours of modern-day, three-format cricket, Australia need to build a battery of at least seven to eight pace bowlers capable of stepping into international cricket at a moment’s notice. Faulkner should be brought back into the fold as soon as possible in white-ball cricket, offering not just great international experience but also left-arm variety and depth in batting.
His solid ODI bowling record (96 wickets at 30) and excellent international T20 record (36 wickets at 19) can’t be ignored at a time when Australia badly need experienced limited-overs quicks to complement rookies like Stanlake and Richardson.
A seven-man pace group of Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Faulkner, Stanlake, Tye and Richardson, if juggled skilfully, should hold Australia in good stead across all three formats.
There’s plenty more pace talent outside of that group, too. Victorian quick Chris Tremain is arguably the best bowler yet to play a Test for Australia and Jackson Bird is a reliable Test option.
Meanwhile, if their bodies can hold up, the likes of Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson, Jason Behrendorff and Joel Paris all have huge ability.
Above all, however, Australia must make the best possible use of their single biggest asset – the Big Three. That means protecting them.
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
It's amazing how often the modern player breaks down. Go back to the 80s and 90s, those fast bowlers would handle the 3 formats easily. No cotton wool back in those days!
Carbon Black
Roar Rookie
Word on the street is Jason Behrendorff and Joel Paris are back on track from their injuries and likely to make full recoveries, which is good news. If Behrendorff can prove he is up to the 4-5 day format he will be an asset for the upcoming Ashes with his ability to swing the ball.
danno
Guest
Wonder if Cummins will open the bowling this summer. For mine he has gone past Hazelwood in the last two series.
Larry1950
Guest
Does it come down to how much money is enough for these guys? If they break down young they shorten their earning potential so someone needs to explain those logistics to them. The 50 over game is probably the one that is most expendable. I'd like big Billy Stanlake bowling to the Indians on a Gabba green top.
Roger
Guest
Everyone can relax, I heard from a bloke in the know that Usman has been seen coming off the long run in secret net sessions in England - all will be fine as he'll open both the batting and the bowling in all 3 formats!! Problem solvered ;)
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Hazlewood is an automatic pick in ODIs, he was the number 2 ranked ODI bowler in the world just a few months ago before his time off.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Cheers Sportstragic, last I heard Pattinson was targeting a comeback in the domestic 50-over comp which starts in just over 2 months from now. Here's hoping his body finally holds together, he's a freakish talent.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
For Tests,ODIs all three should play. At least Cummins and Starc but for T-20 they are better with likes of Tyes,Richardsons,Stanlakes.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I think we can afford to accommodate Hazlewood's batting in ODIs when he has a bowling average under 25 and an economy rate of less than 5. That is unbelievably elite. If we're relying on our 10 or 11, then we've already lost considering the current "quality" of our middle order.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
So, play the big three in Tests. Fair enough, I don't think anyone would argue too much with that decision. But how do you handle the shorter forms of the game? And really, we're talking Starc and Cummins here - Hazlewood's batting isn't up to scratch for either ODIs or T20s. Do you allocate (say) Starc to ODIs and Cummins to T20s? Or do you rotate them? If so, do you rotate them on a game by game basis or by series? A lot of bowlers will claim they like the regularity of playing. Tough one for the selectors...
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Tye did well in the T20s but was awful in the ODI series before that. Far too expensive economy rate.
Eddie Otto
Roar Guru
I agree with the premise that these 3 guys can't be expected to be at their best playing all formats. I would probably try and keep all of them to 2 formats so to keep them fresh. However the temptation in the 50 Over WC in England will be to play your best bowlers if conditions are murky with some seam.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Historically Australia has always benefited from having world class ODI bowlers that didn't play Test Cricket. The best example is probably Nathan Bracken. Clint McKay was another. We need to find these guys again.
JamesH
Roar Guru
The problem there is that you don't get any continuity because the group changes constantly within the same format. Makes it tough to develop a winning outfit.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Yes, This is the way things have to be these days. Tests - Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood. Tremain and Bird to provide cover (Pattinson when fit) ODI's - Starc, Hazlewood, Stanlake, Richardson(s), Tye T20's - Cummins, NCN, Stanlake, Tye, Richardson(s), (Behrendorff when fit) For the World cups you have to pick the best, but remember that T20's especially are a specialist format, so if Starc and Hazlewood don't play them often I would not be super quick to parachute them into an established squad, if it's already performing well.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Hazlewood doesn’t play T20s anyway. Even when he’s been fit they’ve left him out of the squad. Before he got injured Hazlewood was picked in the squad for the ODIs in England but not for the T20 matches. Same thing happened with last years ODI/T20 tour of India. Hazlewood was picked in the ODI squad but not the T20 one, before being ruled out with injury. While Pat Cummins was picked in both squads.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
The big three, Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood should play only Test matches against Strong Opponents like England, India, South Africa, Pakistan and may be West Indies. Other bowlers should fulfil the ODI and T20I obligations. Big three may play World Cup or important Series depending on their fitness then and rest they got prior to that Series.
Paul
Roar Guru
James, I think the smart move is to decide which tournaments/games players should play and which ones they don't. Your comment about dropping ODI's from Starc's game roster after the WC makes sense, but only for a period of time. If he's still fit and bowling well, I'd like to see him in the Champions Cup (assuming that tournament still exists) and for the WC in 2023(?). Ditto with T20s.
Sportstragic
Guest
Good article Ronan. Does anyone have any info on how James Pattinson is going these days? Geez he had some talent! He has been overtaken by a few bowlers now though. I agree that Faulkner should be bought back in by he needs to be in form. He was bowling real poor there for s stage.
JamesH
Roar Guru
That doesn't solve anything. Starc and (to a lesser extent) Cummins aren't coping with the rigours of playing all three formats. Starc in particular needs to be managed or we will lose him for tests.