The absence of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins has affected the bowling strength of the Australia cricket team ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 starting on February 7. Ahead of the tournament, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, there was another harsh update for the team: Josh Hazlewood’s injury.
Aakash Chopra in his official YouTube video said that with many big failures, it could be really difficult for Australia to maintain the lead in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The former India cricketer said that the former T20 World Cup winners could be out of the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
Many prominent fast bowlers out of T20 World Cup 2026
With Pat Cummins, Mitchell and Josh Hazlewood, the Australian cricket team’s pace battery was unmatched in T20Is. Starc announced his retirement from T20 Internationals and Cummins is suffering from back pain and has been ruled out of the tournament. Hazlewood is in Australia’s current T20 World Cup squad but there is uncertainty about his playing from the beginning.
Addressing Australia’s moment of crisis in the T20s, Aakash Chopra said that without their premier fast bowler, the Australian team will have to work much harder in the competition. Since Josh Hazlewood’s chances of playing in the competition are uncertain, the Kangaroo Land side are left with very limited options to lead the fast bowling department.
Chopra said in his YouTube video, “If Josh Hazlewood also misses along with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, then you have taken out the heart, the heartbeat, the soul, everything. Then this team will be weak. Then they will struggle. There is a strong possibility of that.”
Lack of quality in Australian bowling line-up
Cricket Australia has included Ben Dwarshuis in the team in place of injured Cummins. Another fast bowler, Sean Abbott, will travel with the team as cover for Josh Hazlewood. If Hazlewood is unable to recover in time, the traveling reserve, who is Abbott, will replace him.
The team has options and replacements, but Aakash Chopra expressed his concern over the quality of bowlers like Ben Dwarshuis and Sean Abbott.
Chopra said, “I have also read the news of Hazlewood, that he may also not be available for the majority of the tournament. If that is true, whether it is Ben Dwarshuis or Sean Abbott or anyone else whom you hold with due respect, they are not of the same quality.”
Australia may have to struggle a lot
Australia have been drawn in Group B along with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe. This group is expected to qualify for the next round, where they will face tough challenges. India, South Africa and West Indies are favorites to share the same group with Australia in the eighth round.
The eight teams will be divided into two groups and the two best teams from each of these two groups will play the semi-finals. Chopra said that Australia may have to struggle a lot against India, South Africa or West Indies.
The former Indian cricketer said, “Then Australia will be stuck. Then they probably will not be able to reach the semi-finals because the group they are going in, Australia, India, South Africa and West Indies, is not an easy group. It is a bit difficult to go from that group to the semi-finals and then the final.”
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