Cummins told to prioritise Tests over IPL

HOBART: Australian captain Michael Clarke and predecessor Steve Waugh on Thursday urged rising teenage pace star Pat Cummins to prioritise Test cricket over the lucrative Indian Premier League.

Cummins, 18, who is sidelined for at least six weeks with a bone stress heel injury, wants to play in the IPL, but there are concerns the youngster may overtax his body at a crucial stage of his physical development.

The youngster's manager Neil Maxwell has confirmed Cummins intends to nominate for the lucrative IPL auction ahead of next April's tournament.

But Clarke said he wants his Test players to "prioritise" representing their country ahead of the IPL and Champions League tournaments.

"The one thing I love about IPL is that every individual has the opportunity of making their own choice," Clarke told reporters ahead of Australia's second Test against New Zealand in Hobart.

"But I think the individual player needs to work out where his body is at and then make that decision at the time of going into the IPL.

"There's a lot of international cricket and I just don't want to see players not prioritising international cricket.

"Every player who plays for Australia, that is first and foremost and Test cricket being the pinnacle of that. Then if your body can handle you playing IPL or Champions League then that's up to the individual."

Amid a growing injury crisis in Australian cricket -- with Mitchell Johnson out for the entire summer season following foot surgery and opener Shane Watson troubled by calf and hamstring injuries -- Waugh cautioned Cummins to think again about joining the IPL.

"The priority has got to be playing for Australia, the baggy green (cap) is number one and everything else slots in underneath that," Waugh told The Australian newspaper.

"Obviously, there's money to be made from the IPL, but I think as a young guy with his potential and his star quality, he's going to make a lot of money out of the game of cricket.

"The IPL right now should be a fair way down on his radar.

"And if his body is a little bit susceptible to injury at the moment, his commitment has got to be playing for Australia first."

Cummins damaged his left heel during Australia's spectacular victory over South Africa in Johannesburg last month and has been unavailable for this month's two home Tests against New Zealand.

It was initially thought to be bruising but new scans have revealed a bone stress problem and Cummins is unlikely to bowl again until early to mid-January, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.

As such he is likely to miss all four home Tests against India in a series that starts at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, with further matches in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide throughout January.