Australian skipper Pat Cummins said that the bowling workload of all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh will be raised more during the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India at home later this year, with an aim to help the mainstay trio of Cummins-Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood sustain themselves throughout what promises to be an intense battle. The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) will commence with the first Test – a day match – at Perth Stadium from November 22 to November 26, setting the tone for the series. India has won its last two series in Australia, held in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
In the last season, Australia played an unchanged frontline bowling attack for seven Tests against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand. None of these matches reached the fifth day and only in three innings, Australia had to bowl more than 78 overs. These factors kept Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc fresh and active for the entirety of the season.
Green provided Australia with an additional pace bowling option when he returned during the West Indies series, but only bowled 42 overs across the next four Tests, playing mainly as a number four batter when Steve Smith moved up to the opening slot following David Warner’s retirement. “It has been huge having the allrounders. In some ways, we have not had to use them as much as we thought we would.
Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches,” said Cu.