Skipper Cummins hints at increased bowling workload for Green, Marsh in Tests against India

Pat Cummins plans to increase workload of all-rounders Green and Marsh to support Australia's main bowlers in BGT series.

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 Cummins as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

“I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We will be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more. Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but has not had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more,” he added.

Green has taken 35 wickets in Tests at an average of 35.31 and has a five-wicket haul as well. The young all-rounder was moved into the number four slot and has scored a magnificent 174 against NZ at Wellington to showcase what he could offer there. For the BGT series, there seems to be uncertainty about Australia’s top six, with Smith being largely underwhelming as an opener for the past few months. But it is more or less fixed that Marsh and Green will be a part of the top six.