Australia's ODI captain Pat Cummins will miss the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa as he enters a dedicated fitness and recovery phase in preparation for the home Ashes series later this year. Having already been rested for the T20I series against the West Indies, Cummins will now focus on gym work and conditioning rather than match play, aiming to return for the short T20I tour to New Zealand in October and potentially feature in limited-overs games against India or a Sheffield Shield match ahead of the Ashes.
Josh Hazlewood will also skip the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour, despite being initially named in the squad, with rising pacer Xavier Bartlett brought in as his replacement. Bartlett, currently leading the wicket charts in MLC 2025, will look to build on his strong T20I performances. Additionally, Jake Fraser-McGurk has been called up to replace Spencer Johnson, who is managing a back injury.
Cummins, who missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year due to an ankle issue, emphasized the importance of this training block to fine-tune his body for the busy summer ahead. Meanwhile, the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield and Australia A tours are set to play a pivotal role in finalizing Australia's Ashes squad, with players like Cameron Green, Usman Khawaja, and Sam Konstas being closely monitored.