Cummins likely to make Sheffield Shield return before India Tests

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is eyeing a brief return to the Sheffield Shield to tune up for the series against India which starts in late November.

Cummins, who recently completed an MLC stint in the USA, has been rested from Australia's white-ball tour of Scotland and England next month. He will spend the time focusing on strength and conditioning ahead of the home summer with the five Tests against India taking a little over seven weeks which will be followed shortly after by two more games in Sri Lanka.

Those seven Tests will decide whether Australia will have the chance to defend their World Test Championship title at Lord's next June. They are currently second in the table behind India.

Cummins last played Sheffield Shield for New South Wales in February 2021 and has only made nine appearances in his career. There is also an ODI series against Pakistan in early November which could be used as part of the build-up to the Test matches.

"Ronnie [coach Andrew McDonald] called me the other day and said we need to talk about this," Cummins told News Corp. "I prefer to go a little bit fresher but definitely play some cricket going in.

"So I'd say it's either two or three ODIs, plus a Shield [game] or maybe just some Shield, maybe some NSW one-day stuff. I imagine kind of late October/early November will be when I start playing building up for the Tests."

New South Wales have a Shield game against Victoria from October 20 then face Queensland from November 1, although the latter overlaps with the start of the ODI series against Pakistan.

Cummins previously told ESPNcricinfo that missing the England tour had been long-planned and that the next few months were about ensuring his body was right for the upcoming workload which will also include the Champions Trophy next February in Pakistan.

"I'll have a good six or eight weeks off bowling where I'll get in the gym every day, do some running, and get some strength back into my body," he said.

Mitchell Starc, who will play the ODI series against England after resting from the T20Is, and Josh Hazlewood, who will feature in the whole tour, could also be available for New South Wales ahead of the international season. Nathan Lyon is expected to play at least two matches before facing India.

Most of the batters are expected to be available for the Sheffield Shield in October which features two rounds while those who aren't part of the ODI side against Pakistan could get another outing. There are also two Australia A four-day matches against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.