'That's probably against the spirit of cricket.' - Pat Cummins on manipulating result for England's potential exit from T20 WC

Australian captain Pat Cummins has taken a firm stance on the values that support the game. Responding to speculation about tactical net run rate manipulation, Cummins expressed that such strategies would never be entertained by his team, contradicting the spirit of cricket.

The controversy arose when fast bowler Josh Hazlewood's comments about potentially eliminating arch-rivals England from the tournament sparked debate. However, Cummins clarified that Hazlewood's statements were made in jest and had been misconstrued.

"I was speaking to Joshy, who had a bit of a joke about it the other day, and I think it got taken a little bit out of context. We'll go there and just try and play Scotland who have had a really good tournament so far and will be tough. It's [net run rate] something you kind of discuss as one of the quirks of the set-up but in terms of does it change the way we play, absolutely not," he said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Also read: Manipulating match result against Scotland may lead to ban on Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh

I think when you go out and play you are trying your best every time: Pat Cummins

Cummins' statements carry weight, especially given his recent involvement in Spirit of Cricket discussions following the Jonny Bairstow stumping incident during the Ashes 2023.

"I think when you go out and play you are trying your best every time and if you are not, that's probably against the spirit of cricket. Haven't thought too deeply because it's never really popped up," he added.

As Australia prepares to face Scotland, Cummins hinted at possible player rotation to ensure game time for squad members like Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Ashton Agar before the Super Eight stage. 

"I haven't spoken to the selectors or anyone, so I don't know what they're thinking. But I wouldn't be surprised. I know going into the start of the tournament, in a perfect world, we'd get a game into just about all the squad members," Cummins said.

Also read: England's Qualification Scenarios - Can they reach Super 8 after winning against Oman?

Mitchell Starc's potential return from injury adds depth to an already formidable Australian side. Cummins, now playing under captain Mitchell Marsh, emphasized the team's readiness for the tournament's demanding schedule. 

"It's a bit of a luxury now in this first section of the tournament but once we get to the Super Eights don't think they'll be any resting. Definitely [can play all the games], we are used to playing Test cricket so four overs is a breeze. There are no workload issues at all. You start prioritizing sleep, refueling and those kind of things but in terms of getting up for the game, it's fine. We've done it loads of times, loads of IPL games are kind of play, fly to the other side of the country and play again. Same with BBL. It's not necessarily new. It will be busy but we are kind of used to it," Cummins concluded.