Nathan Coulter-Nile Says Pain of Missing World Cup Spurred him on for Consistency

Nathan Coulter-Nile has had a stop-start career for Australia in ODIs. Having made his debut against England in 2013, Coulter-Nile showed promise in the couple of games that he played. (Nathan Coulter-Nile Lauds Gary Kirsten's Coaching)

However, in the ODI series against South Africa before the World Cup, he sustained a hamstring injury in the fourth ODI at Melbourne which ruled him out for two months. He missed out on selection in the team for the World Cup and it proved to be bitter as Australia won the tournament for a record fifth time.

In an interview to cricket.com.au, Coulter-Nile said that it was this moment which proved to be an eye-opener. Following the injury, he eliminated starchy carbohydrates from his diet and worked hard on his fitness.

"I didn't really realise what it took to compete at the top level and perform and consistently. I'd always perform and get injured or get dropped or something like that. When I missed the World Cup it really hurt me a lot and I thought 'I really want to do this, this is something I really want to do,' and from then on I was really strict with my diet, really strict with my training and I saw the rewards at the end of the season," he stated.

Coulter-Nile enjoyed a good domestic season for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and he has put up a good show in the first two matches of Australia's limited-overs tour of England. He picked up 3/13 against Ireland in Belfast and managed figures of 2/39 in a high-scoring ODI against England at Southampton.

With Australia's depth in their fast bowling reserves, Coulter-Nile has said that he is not taking his position for granted.

"You never feel comfortable," he said. "I feel comfortable when I have my spot. "There's that many fast bowlers coming through Australia at the moment, if you get comfortable that'll be the time when you'll get dropped."