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Australian pacers likely to be rested for ODI series

The Aussie pace trio of Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc

With an eye towards the 2019 ICC World Cup and the Ashes that follows the global event, the Australians are not willing to take risk with the fitness of their pacers as coach Justin Langer has hinted that the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins could be rested for the upcoming three-match ODI series against India that gets underway in Sydney on January 12.

“It’s the great conundrum for us, really, how we manage our bowlers. For example, we might not play them in the next three one-dayers so they’re ready for the next two (Tests) to keep them fresh," Langer was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Also read: Star Australian players could be rested for the ODI series against India

The Australia coach added, "He (Cummins) has been brilliant, he’s been outstanding but then – as soon as we do that they want to play and also then everyone else would be on our back saying: ‘Why aren’t they playing every single game?’ But if you play every game – we’ve also got a World Cup and Ashes next year – we want him fresh for those things.”