Mark Waugh has called for Pat Cummins to be dropped from the Australian team for the crucial T20 World Cup showdown with England as deep-seated issues continue to emerge within the Australian team.
The Aussies kept their campaign alive with a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Perth Stadium on Tuesday night.
A record-breaking knock from Marcus Stoinis, who hit 59 from 18 balls, helped Australia chase the 158-run target with 21 balls to spare. But his heroics have papered over the cracks inside the Aussie team.
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Waugh on Wednesday morning said selectors need to make changes and said Cummins was the most obvious player to drop after the Test captain’s disappointing performance with the ball on Wednesday night.
Cummins was once again comfortably Australia’s most expensive quick, conceding 20 runs in the final over of Sri Lanka’s innings.
Hazlewood and Starc were relatively tidy on the night, taking 1-26 and 1-23 respectively, while Cummins went for 1-36.
Against New Zealand, Cummins conceded 0-46 and was Australia’s most expensive bowler.
Waugh singled out Cummins and Aaron Finch, who struggled to a score of 31 not out from 42 balls.
“There’s players individually that just aren’t getting it right,” Waugh said on RSN Breakfast on Wednesday.
“Pat Cummins with the ball, there’s a massive question mark over him heading into the next game. Aaron Finch’s innings was torturous. It really was. I don’t think he can open the innings in the next game. If he’s going to play, he should bat somewhere down the order.
“Mitch Marsh looks very frenetic at the moment. There’s lots of individual players who seem to have lost the plot.
“It just doesn’t feel right. They’re not a happy camp and they look like they’re lacking confidence. They’re so nervous. I don’t know what the answer is.
“I think they need to make some changes for the next game. I would bring Cameron Green in and I’d bring him in for Pat Cummins and I’d let Cam Green open the batting.
“That’s one change I would definitely make. I know it leaves your bowling a little short, but I think Cameron Green can bowl four overs as well as any of the other bowlers at the moment.”
He said Australia looks “so far off the pace it’s not funny”.
It comes after cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull also called for Cummins to be dropped, saying the ODI captain should be replaced by Kane Richardson.
After watching Australia lose to New Zealand Doull said Cummins is not suited to T20 cricket.
“I think Australia would be concerned,” he said.
“I’d be concerned with some of the parts of the bowling. I said the other night in the warm-up match, I feel personally that Pat Cummins shouldn’t be playing in this T20 side.
“I think Kane Richardson should be playing. I feel that he offers them a few variations that they just don’t have. It’s same-same. It’s pace on, pace on, pace on. Starc, (Josh) Hazlewood, Cummins – they don’t have a really good change-up bowler.”
