Australia back star pace trio to play the 2027 WC

Australia are backing Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to be fit for the 2027 ODI World Cup, despite fitness and workload concerns.

The trio aren't part of Australia's white-ball tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh, with each series acting as a build-up to the World Cup. Head coach Andrew McDonald revealed all three were open to playing both series but were asked to rest given Australia's Test-heavy schedule.

While Tests remain top priority, Australia is hopeful the trio can stay in shape for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.

"I think people look at the immediate games and go, 'Well, why aren't they playing there?'" McDonald said. "But if you actually work back from 2027 and look at what we've got coming up, this is the last significant break we get to invest into their bodies. We are planning for them to be there in 2027."

McDonald admitted keeping them fit is a stiff task but insisted giving them breaks is crucial.

"I think there needs to be a lot of trust in what we're doing. It's going to be a significant challenge for our sports science team," McDonald said.

"The players want to play. We just don't feel like it's the best time for them to play," he added.

The trio were part of the ongoing IPL 2026, with only Starc's campaign ending after Delhi Capitals' league-stage exit. All three missed parts of the tournament: Starc's workload was managed by CA, Cummins recovered from a back stress injury, while Hazlewood dealt with hamstring and Achilles issues.

McDonald referenced the 2023 World Cup buildup as an example. Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins are currently 36, 35 and 33 respectively.

"We have done this before in 2023. The biggest difference is we're four years older. How do we manage our fast bowlers? They've been incredibly robust, but a few have had recent injuries, so we need to invest a lot of time into that."

He also said Mitch Marsh will step aside as captain when Cummins returns, noting Cummins "works extremely well" with Marsh, who has the support to step up if needed.

"Pat's invested in the one-day team. Even after his back injury, which surprised us, we know we need to manage him well."

Tim David in the ODI team?

McDonald said the management is open to considering Tim David's return to the ODI setup. The 30-year-old played his last ODIs in September 2023. Glenn Maxwell retired from ODIs in 2025, potentially opening a finisher's role.

"It is something we're looking at," McDonald said. "Tim hasn't made himself available for ODI cricket yet. But open-minded that potentially that is a conversation down the track. Tim would need to signal his intention to play. We used him in the build-up to the last World Cup. Will we be exposed there? Can Tim be part of that conversation? At this stage he's not available."