With just over six weeks left before the first Ashes Test in Perth, Pat Cummins’ fitness remains a major concern for Cricket Australia. The star pacer is still in rehab and has not yet been cleared to bowl, putting his participation in serious doubt.
Recent reports reveal that Cummins’ latest scan on his lower-back stress injury showed improvement, but not enough for a return to bowling. Sources say his rehabilitation is progressing, but there’s no confirmed timeline for when he’ll resume bowling — or whether he’ll be ready for the first Test.
Cummins hasn’t bowled since Australia’s last Test in Jamaica in July. Despite initially expressing a willingness to “take a few risks” to play the Ashes, the window for recovery is closing fast. Even if cleared soon, building up the necessary bowling workload safely may not be possible before Perth.
During rehab, Cummins has focused on leg-strength training but has avoided any rotational work — crucial for fast bowlers. The risk of soft-tissue injury increases when returning too quickly, and Cummins has dealt with such issues before, including ankle concerns.
Last year, the Australian captain skipped limited-overs tours to complete a 10-week training block before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Even then, his build-up was carefully managed, and he played only minimal domestic matches before returning to Tests.
The first Ashes Test starts on November 21 in Perth, followed by Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. If Cummins misses the opener, Australia’s pace attack — Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland — may have to carry the load through the early games.
With a tight schedule and limited rest days between Tests, Australia’s bowling depth will be tested. Fresh legs could be crucial in the later stages, as seen in the 2023 Ashes when England’s Mark Wood and Chris Woakes made a huge impact after late entries.
Backup options like Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, and Brendan Doggett are being closely monitored in domestic cricket. Neser impressed in his Shield return, while Abbott could rejoin New South Wales next week.
If Cummins isn’t fit, Steven Smith is expected to lead Australia again. Smith has captained 40 Tests, including six since Cummins became captain in 2021. Travis Head, the team’s vice-captain, is also an option but remains the secondary choice.
The big question now: Will Pat Cummins be ready in time for Perth — or will Australia begin the Ashes without their skipper and pace spearhead?
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