Pat Cummins injury has become the biggest talking point in Australian cricket with the Test captain ruled out of the upcoming New Zealand and India white-ball matches.
His absence is a clear precautionary step, but it raises important questions ahead of the five-Test Ashes series beginning in late November.
Cummins has been managing a lower-back issue after a heavy workload through the winter, where he bowled more than 95 overs in four Tests across the UK and Caribbean. Scans revealed signs of lumbar bone stress, not classified as a full stress fracture but enough to demand careful management. Cricket Australia confirmed he won’t be considered for any limited-overs fixtures before the Ashes, ensuring he focuses on rehabilitation and conditioning instead.
While the immediate news is his absence from the ODIs and T20Is against India, the bigger picture is what it means for his Ashes preparation. Australia’s captain has been remarkably durable since his comeback in 2017, missing only two Tests through injury in almost eight years. Yet the fact this setback involves his back, the same body part that stalled the early part of his career, inevitably sparks concern. With five Ashes Tests squeezed into seven weeks, Australia will be desperate to have him not only fit but capable of sustaining high workloads across the series.
The timing of the injury is critical. The three ODIs and five T20Is against India begin on October 19 and run until November 8, just 13 days before the Ashes opener in Brisbane. By skipping the white-ball leg, Cummins buys extra recovery time and avoids unnecessary physical strain in matches that ultimately have less significance compared to the marquee Test battle with England.
Selectors have made it clear his Ashes preparation is the priority. Steve Smith is the natural stand-in captain if required for the Tests, while Australia’s fast-bowling depth — Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland — gives the side coverage. But losing Cummins, even temporarily, would be a major blow both for leadership and for the balance of the attack.
But for the India T20I leg at least, Cummins and the recently retired Starc are ruled out. Hazlewood might also be rested with the Ashes just days after the series. This means that the fringe T20I pacers will have a chance to push for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad in the upcoming tour of New Zealand and the India home series. Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, and Ben Dwarshuis are the ones named in the squad for the New Zealand tour.
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The focus now shifts to whether Cummins can complete his rehabilitation in time to lead Australia into another Ashes summer. His absence from the India series is a clear indication of what the management thinks, but the question remains: can Australia’s skipper remain fresh enough to steer his side through one of cricket’s most demanding contests?
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
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