Pat Cummins could return to Australia Test squad for India tour

Fast bowler Pat Cummins could make his comeback to Australia's Test squad for the forthcoming tour of India, according to fresh reports.

Cummins, 23, hasn't played a Test match since his infamous debut in Johannesburg in Nov. 2011. Since then, the Sydney product has suffered a myriad of stress fractures and other injuries besides making sporadic appearances for Australia's limited-overs teams.

With the young bowler's conditioning and injury-prone body under the scanner, the selectors have been hesitant about including him in the longer format. However, Cummins' impressive showing during the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series against New Zealand has sparked debate of his Test comeback.

In what was his first appearance for the country in 15 months, Cummins claimed eight wickets during the whitewash of the Kiwis, including career-best figures of 4/41 in Canberra. Known for his express pace, Cummins regularly clocked over 150 km/h and had the New Zealand batsmen hopping and ducking.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia's selectors are under pressure to include Cummins in the Test squad, especially in the aftermath of the embarrassing home series loss to South Africa.

Cricket Australia has a plan for Pat Cummins

The report noted that Cricket Australia (CA) had original plans of saving Cummins' Test return for the home Ashes series during the 2017-18 season. "While Pat Howard, CA's general manager of team performance, and Cummins himself have earmarked next year's home Ashes series as the logical point for the quick to return to the Test set-up, there are some on the board who have asked why shouldn't be considered for the four-Test tour of India,"

Last week, former Australia captain Allan Border called for Cummins' Test comeback during the forthcoming home series against Pakistan. "Especially in that it's only his second game back after a long hiatus, just to come in and bowl with that sort of pace and get some important wickets, he's just going to grow in confidence and the rhythm's going to get better and better so look out," Border said during a telecast of Inside Cricket, via ABC, urging the selectors to bring Cummins back for the longer format.

However, selector Mark Waugh wants Pat Cummins to prove his conditioning by playing the Sheffield Shield, ruling out the possibility of a Test comeback against Pakistan. "He hasn't played any four-day cricket. I think his program is Big Bash and then maybe a Shield match early next year," said Waugh.

Pat Cummins hasn't played a Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales in six years.