Pat Cummins last ODI was on November 8, 2024; rested for Australia’s first ODI in South Africa tour

Pat Cummins last played a one-day international on November 8, 2024, for Australia against Pakistan at Adelaide Oval, and he was omitted from Australia’s first ODI of the South Africa tour at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Thursday, September 24 as he has been rested to prepare for the upcoming Test series.

Australia began their South Africa tour with a three-match ODI series followed by three Test matches, with the first ODI currently being played at Kingsmead in Durban. The visitors are facing South Africa under the captaincy of Mitchell Marsh rather than Cummins after official team sources said the pace bowler had been rested to allow time for Test preparations. Cummins has been managing a lower lumbar bone stress injury that flared during Australia’s tour of the West Indies last July. Team management said their priority was to prepare the squad for the Test series that follows the ODIs.

Mitchell Marsh addressed Cummins’ situation directly, saying: “Pat’s main focus is Test group, and a lot of our bowlers – and him in particular – are preparing for that Test series. I’m hopeful that he’ll feature in this series at some stage.”

Cummins’ most recent ODI appearance came in that November 8, 2024 match at Adelaide Oval, when Australia were bowled out for 164 and subsequently lost by nine wickets. Across the three-match series against Pakistan, Cummins played two games and took two wickets, and Australia lost the series 2-1.

Since the Adelaide match, Cummins has not appeared in an ODI for a total of 685 days; the major reasons cited for his absence are his injury and a concentration on Test cricket. Australia could also potentially rest Mitchell Starc in some games to avoid stressing their premier bowlers with consecutive matches before the Test series, and Cummins could potentially play an ODI in the lead-up to the Tests.

The tour schedule confirms three ODIs followed by three Tests, and team statements link Cummins’ rest to preparation for the Test series, which the coaching staff say will affect Australia’s standing in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.