Cummins’ batting matters more than his bowling right now because Australia’s Durban defeat was lost below the top order, where nobody could stay in. They reached 129 for one chasing South Africa’s 297 for eight, then lost their last nine wickets for 101 runs and were bowled out for 230. Australia’s attack has enough weapons without him. What the side lacks is a number eight who can hold an end against spin, and that is the job Cummins fits best on his return.
Durban’s Collapse From 129 for One
Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head made the chase look simple early, adding 90 in 9.2 overs as Marsh raced to 60 off 36 balls. South Africa’s total, built around a Matthew Breetzke century, suddenly looked short. Head’s dismissal for 36 at 129 flipped the game. Keshav Maharaj took 4/20, and Bjorn Fortuin added 2/34 as Australia folded for 230 inside 41.2 overs, a 67-run defeat that put the hosts 1-0 up.
Wicket | Batter Out | Partnership Runs | Team Score |
|---|---|---|---|
1st | Mitchell Marsh (60) | 90 | 90 |
2nd | Travis Head (36) | 39 | 129 |
3rd | Josh Inglis (3) | 5 | 134 |
4th | Cooper Connolly (38) | 22 | 156 |
5th | Cameron Green (5) | 20 | 176 |
6th | Jack Edwards (5) | 12 | 188 |
7th | Matt Renshaw (44) | 27 | 215 |
8th | Mitchell Starc (16) | 6 | 221 |
9th | Nathan Ellis (4) | 9 | 230 |
10th | Adam Zampa (7) | 0 | 230 |
Read the partnerships after Head’s exit, and the problem is obvious. No stand from the third wicket onwards reached 30, and the last three wickets added just 15 runs between them.
Pat Cummins Batting SA vs AUS ODI Series
Cummins sat out both the Durban and Johannesburg matches, with selectors protecting his workload for the Test series that follows. His last ODI came against Pakistan on 8 November 2024, almost two years ago.
Marsh has led the side in his absence and says he’s very happy to carry on, adding that the captaincy question will be settled once Cummins actually plays. The more pressing issue is where he slots into the XI for the Potchefstroom finale, and the Durban scorecard answers it. Australia have coped without him with the ball, but not with the bat. Every extra batter Marsh can add to the order reduces the chance of another slide like the one in Durban.
Numbers That Favour the Captain at Eight
Cummins has 537 ODI runs at 14.51 with a highest score of 37. Those aren’t all-rounder numbers, but they belong to a batter who can defend, and they sit clear of what Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa offer. Josh Hazlewood’s 15.00 is slightly higher, but he bats at ten or eleven and can’t be asked to hold an innings together.
Player | Batting Position | ODI Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
Pat Cummins | No. 8 | 14.51 | 76.39 |
Mitchell Starc | No. 8/9 | 11.74 | 77.12 |
Josh Hazlewood | No. 10/11 | 15.00 | 81.33 |
Adam Zampa | No. 9/10 | 10.00 | 64.87 |
Maharaj and Fortuin won Durban by bowling at batters who either swung hard or got stuck. A number eight who can block, nudge singles and bat 20 to 30 balls changes how many overs the spinners get to finish the job.
Australia’s Attack Already Has Enough Pace
The bowling group in South Africa already includes Starc, Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis and Zampa, four proven wicket-takers. South Africa’s 297 was a stiff target, yet Australia were well ahead of it at 129 for one.
Picking Cummins purely for his overs would duplicate what’s already there. Picking him to bat at eight fills the one gap nobody else in the squad can cover, which makes his return a batting decision first.
Surviving Spin Is the Real Test
Against Maharaj and Fortuin, simply surviving is a skill. Once the tail was exposed in Durban, it lasted about nine overs against spin, far too little to keep a chase of 298 alive. The fix doesn’t need heroics from the tail. An eighth-wicket partner who bats 20 to 30 balls without gifting his wicket can turn 230 all out into something closer to 270.
That 40-run swing is the gap between chasing down a total and folding under it again. The Pat Cummins batting SA vs AUS ODI series debate should start there, because his value to this XI now sits in the lower order rather than the new-ball overs.
Should Cummins bat at eight when he returns, or is Australia’s collapse purely a top-order problem? Share your XI in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Cummins playing in the 2nd ODI against South Africa?
No, Cummins was left out of the second ODI in Johannesburg on 27 September. Selectors kept him out of both opening matches to manage his workload ahead of Australia’s upcoming Test series.
Who is captaining Australia in the ODIs against South Africa?
Mitchell Marsh is captaining Australia in Cummins’ absence. Marsh has said he is happy to keep leading the side, and whether the armband goes back to Cummins will be decided once he plays.
What happened in the 1st ODI between South Africa and Australia?
South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs in Durban. Chasing 297 for eight, built around a Matthew Breetzke century, Australia collapsed from 129 for one to 230 all out.
Who took four wickets in the Durban ODI?
Keshav Maharaj took four wickets for 20 runs in the Durban ODI. Bjorn Fortuin backed him up with 2/34 as South Africa’s spinners bowled Australia out for 230 inside 41.2 overs.
When did Cummins last play an ODI?
Cummins last played an ODI on 8 November 2024 against Pakistan. His record in the format stands at 537 runs at 14.51, with a highest score of 37, figures that still sit above Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa.