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AAP
AAP
Sport
Oliver Caffrey

Captain Cummins buoyant about England ODIs

After a poor T20 Cup campaign, skipper Pat Cummins is looking forward to the England ODI series. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Pat Cummins views Australia's ODI series against England as an important step towards next year's 50-over World Cup in India.

Australia will start a three-match series at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, just four days after England won the T20 World Cup final at the MCG.

The quick turnaround has been lamented by some, with England allrounder Moeen Ali calling the scheduling "horrible".

"Those kind of things are a shame," Ali told reporters on Sunday night.

"As a group we want to enjoy and celebrate and have that (time) because you put so much into it.

But Cummins, who will mark his ODI captaincy debut following Aaron Finch's retirement in October, is more optimistic about the games against the old enemy.

"The last 12-24 months there has been a big focus on T20 cricket and I think that focus now shifts to ODIs with a World Cup in 12 months time," the star quick told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday.

"To challenge ourselves against the current title-holders and probably the most in-form team around the world, there's a lot to play for.

"I think it's on us to manage players, the schedule is what it is."

England became the first nation to hold both world cups at the same time when they defeated Pakistan in Sunday's T20 decider to stamp themselves as cricket's contemporary white-ball kings.

That triumph at the MCG follows their famous ODI World Cup final win against New Zealand at Lord's in 2019.

But the man at the centre of both of those victories, Ben Stokes, will not be playing in this series after the megastar's shock call in July to retire from ODIs.

"They might be a little bit short on sleep but they're a class side," Cummins said.

"A few of their squad members for the ODIs weren't in the T20s so they'll be strong, even if a bit tired."

Cummins has already made the call to prioritise his workload as Australia gears up for one of their busiest calendar years on record.

Australia's best players are set for more than 100 days of international games in the next 12 months, with a tour of India in February followed by an Ashes series, a potential World Test Championship final and then the ODI World Cup.

Cummins opted out for next year's Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders, citing the schedule.

"I really do love playing in the IPL but just looking at the schedule the decision was pretty easy," Cummins said.

"I was totally depleted after the last Ashes (in England) in 2019 so I just want to be going there as fresh as I can be."

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