He has been ruled out of the T20I series in New Zealand.
According to CODE Sports, Australia captain Pat Cummins will undergo a scan this week, which is likely to reveal evidence of a back problem. How the team manages him in upcoming matches, especially The Ashes 2025, will depend on the severity of the issue.
Cummins has already been ruled out of the T20I series in New Zealand. It is also uncertain whether he will play in the ODI series against India or in the Sheffield Shield. He first felt tightness in his back after returning from the Caribbean, following Australia’s 3-0 Test series win. While Cricket Australia says the scan is routine, the possibility of a back problem is worrying, with the Ashes just over two months away.
“It’s understood a routine back scan undertaken by Cummins is set to show an issue of some sort that will need to be managed by Australia in the lead-up to The Ashes. Cummins will miss next month’s T20s against New Zealand and he may also be in doubt for one-dayers against India in October,” wrote Ben Horne for CODE Sports.
Cricket Australia is hopeful that Cummins will be ready for the start of the Ashes. If he misses any or all Tests, it will increase pressure on fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland. Australia’s pace reserves are already limited, with Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson unavailable, and Jhye Richardson not expected to be fit at the start of the summer.
ALSO READ:
Australia may need to manage Pat Cummins carefully during The Ashes 2025, similar to how India managed Jasprit Bumrah in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Before that series, it was clear that due to fitness and workload concerns, Bumrah would play only three out of five matches to avoid injury and manage his body.
A similar situation could happen with Pat Cummins. He has been struggling with back issues, and playing the full Ashes series might be too demanding. As captain and an important player, Australia will probably look after Cummins’ workload. The busy schedule ahead includes the white-ball series against India, The Ashes, and next year’s T20 World Cup. This will help him stay fit for big matches and avoid serious injuries.
If Cummins ends up playing only three matches in The Ashes, Steve Smith would lead the team in the remaining games. He has already been captaining Australia in Cummins’ absence.
