Cummins says balancing Tests and the IPL will remain his focus for the next few years

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Australia captain Pat Cummins has reaffirmed his commitment to international cricket amid growing speculation that leading players could increasingly prioritise franchise leagues over national duty.

Speaking in Delhi NCR during the New Balance Grey Days 2026 celebration, Cummins said Australian cricket – especially Test cricket – would remain his main focus despite the growing financial pull of global T20 leagues.

“Nothing has changed for me, my priority is Australian cricket, No. 1, particularly Test cricket,” Cummins told ESPNcricinfo. “As Test captain, I never want to miss any Test cricket and make myself available for as many Aussie games as I can.”

He added that the IPL continues to fit comfortably into Australia’s international calendar.

“The IPL is good in that it normally fits in our holiday break, so that’s the obvious one, but they are probably my main focuses and I don’t see that’s going to change at all for the next few years for me at least.”

Cummins is already set to skip Australia’s upcoming white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh because of IPL commitments and workload management ahead of a packed Test schedule that could see Australia play 20 or 21 Tests between August 2026 and August 2027.

The debate around player availability has intensified in recent weeks following dissatisfaction among several senior Australian players over new Cricket Australia contract offers. Cummins himself had earlier acknowledged the “tension point” between playing bilateral international cricket and lucrative franchise opportunities such as The Hundred.

Despite missing large chunks of Australia’s white-ball cricket over the last two years, Cummins stressed that managing his workload was essential to prolonging his Test career. Since Australia’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2023, he has played only two ODIs and has not featured in a T20I since the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Instead, he has focused on carefully managing his body while continuing to play franchise cricket for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket.

Cummins revealed that Australia’s demanding Test calendar was a key reason behind his cautious rehabilitation from a back stress fracture.

“I actually feel really fresh for the last four months,” he said. “Physically, I feel as good as I have probably in six or seven years.”

He explained that the medical team deliberately adopted a conservative recovery plan to reduce the risk of recurrence and maximise his chances of playing the majority of Australia’s upcoming Test matches.

Australia are scheduled for a gruelling run of Tests across India, a possible World Test Championship final, and an away Ashes series in England over the next 18 months. That schedule could eventually force discussions regarding Cummins’ IPL availability in 2027.

Cummins had previously skipped the 2023 IPL season when Australia faced similarly demanding Test tours of India and England.

The fast bowler also stayed away from the ongoing debate around privatisation plans for the Big Bash League, saying those decisions were best left to administrators.

“As players, you always want the competition to keep growing, attract fans, and keep creating opportunities for younger players,” Cummins said.