Australia coach Mickey Arthur says it is inevitable that his young fast bowler Pat Cummins will breakdown as he grows into his body.
Arthur believes it will take another two years for the New South Wales teenager’s body to mature following his premature exit from the UK tour with a side strain problem.
It is his third serious injury in the past 18 months, having been troubled by back stress fractures and a serious foot complaint.
“It’s disappointing him coming back and then picking up another injury but we’re just going to have to live with that for another couple of years until he gets stronger and his body is used to the workloads,” Arthur said.
“We’ve just got to keep giving him the quality opportunities because he’s going to be very, very good.”
Managing Cummins is a balancing act for the Australian cricket team’s hierarchy.
They need his firepower in their quest to become a force in world cricket again but must be careful not to overburden him and stunt his career.
Cummins’ latest injury continued Australia’s problems with keeping fast bowlers on the park and renewed arguments about training methods.
Former quicks have argued the current crop need to bowl more overs in matches to harden their bodies.
“Hopefully he’ll be ready for the Twenty20 World Cup (in Sri Lanka in September), expose him to bowling in the sub-continent a little bit and we know he’s proficient in our conditions,” Arthur said of Cummins.
“It’s just about giving him experience all around the world but we’ve got to live with the fact he is going to break down, he is 19.
“I don’t think there’s a blanket rule (on how to handle them), everyone’s different.”
Chief selector John Inverarity last month cooled expectations of Cummins quickly establishing himself as a Test regular.
“The younger guys can’t stand the workload of those that are 27, 28 years of age,” he said.
“With Pat Cummins, he is not going to play lots of consecutive Test matches.”
Australia trails 2-0 in the five-match one-day series against England which continues on Wednesday at Edgbaston from 2pm (2300 AEST).