Cricket Xtra: Pat Cummins latest quick to suffer chronic injuries

Ajit Vijaykumar 10:18 28/09/2015
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  • Cummins is hoping for a return to cricket in March 2016.

    For every fast bowler that gets to regale the world with his express pace and masterful swing, there are many who break down on the arduous path of pace bowling.

    Fast bowling is such a rare gift, only a handful ever get to play close to a full career doing what they had set out to do.

    Australia quick Pat Cummins is a special talent. Blessed with a flowing action, energetic run up and ability to move the ball naturally, Cummins didn’t have a full domestic season behnd him before earning a first Test cap.

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    So convinced were the Aussie selectors of his ability, he was handed the baggy Green at the age of 18 against the mighty South Africans at the Wanderers in 2011 with the visitors 1-0 down in the two-Test series.

    Rather than being overwhelmed by the occasion, Cummins enjoyed one of the most remarkable Test debuts, scalping seven wickets in the match and hitting the winning runs in a tense finish to seal a two-wicket victory that levelled the series.

    He had everything going for him – pace, swing, bounce and fearlessness. But it was all too good to be true and soon enough, Cummins was laid low by a major back injury and stress fracture in his foot. He didn’t play for much of 2012 and almost went off the radar in 2013 before beginning his gradual comeback the following year.

    Things started looking up this year and he even featured at the start of the World Cup at home. But the young quick suffered a side injury and the Australians marched to the title in his absence. 

    Even so, Cummins seemed to be heading in the right direction, taking small steps towards his goal of a permanent spot in the Australian line-up. He played all five games of the ODI series against England this month, picking up 12 wickets in a series-winning effort.

    His pace was over the 90mph mark, with no dearth of swing or accuracy and a second Test in four years seemed like a real possibility in the coming months.

    Alas, it was not to be and Cummins has been sidelined for a long time after injuring his back once again. While it was hoped that he would play his second Test against Bangladesh, the 22-year-old New South Wales quick is hoping to be back in action for the World T20 in March next year.

    While Cummins has age on his side, the gap between his first class games in Australia is stretching towards five years. And for a fast bowler, that is a lot of years on the recovery path.

    While Cummins is not the first tear-away quick to lose out on an amazing career because of terrible injuries. One of the most promising fast bowlers of contemporary cricket endured a similar run of bad luck with injuries.

    Pakistan’s Mohammad Zahid played international cricket for a brief period between 1996 and 2003. Five Tests and 11 ODIs is all the world got from him but in those handful of matches, Zahid stunned the world with the sheer velocity of his deliveries.

    West Indies great Brian Lara, at the peak of his powers at the time, said Zahid was by far and away the quickest bowler he had faced. Fellow Pakistani quick Shoaib Akhtar also admitted Zahid was at least a yard faster than him.

    Sadly, Zahid broke his back and was never the same again. The pace was gone and by the time he came back against the Proteas in 2003, he was barely able to touch the 140kmph mark.

    To this day, Akhtar talks about the lost talent of Zahid, who could have had a stellar career had he been handled properly and his action modified in time.

    And who can forget Aussie quick Shaun Tait (above), one of three bowlers to have recorded deliveries in excess of 100mph? The ‘Wild Thing’ gave up Test cricket after three matches and ODIs after 35 games as he couldn’t cope with the strain on his body.

    West Indies great Michael Holding doesn’t consider Tait as a fast bowler because he can’t bowl for long periods. But the fact remains Tait had the ability to do things very few could.

    Then there was South African quick Mfuneko Ngam. The burly pacer stood out among his peers but multiple fractures in his legs ruined his career. It was said that dietary deficiencies early in his life was the main reason for his poor bone strength.

    Various reasons have been provided for their fall, from poor fitness (Ngam) to strenuous bowling actions (Cummins) and a simple reluctance to put the body through all that pain (Tait). The end result has always been the same – cricket loses out on a rare gem.

    So the next time you look at a Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson or a Morne Morkel and are astounded by the seemingly unending barrage of rapid deliveries, do remember that many have endured a lot of pain and heartbreak without experiencing anything close to a fulfilling career.

    Because fast bowling is a high risk game where there is either glory or obscurity. There is seemingly very little else in between.

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