Cummins to miss first Ashes match because of back pain

Cummins to miss first Ashes match because of back pain

The 32-year-old captain has not bowled since Australia's 3-0 series defeat of West Indies in July because of a stress injury in his back.

Pat Cummins has been officially ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth because of a back injury. However, he is expected to start bowling again this week and hopes to be fit for the second Test in Brisbane, starting December 4.

Steve Smith will lead Australia in the first Test against England, which begins on November 21.

Cummins’ absence was expected after it was revealed earlier this month that he hadn’t resumed bowling since being diagnosed with a stress injury in his lower back in September. The injury flared up after he returned from the West Indies tour.

Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald confirmed the news, saying, “We’ve run out of time. We hoped he’d be ready, but it’s taken longer than expected. Still, we’re hopeful he’ll be back for the second Test.”

McDonald added that Cummins starting to bowl again is a big step, but they’ll monitor how he feels before making any decisions. “There’s no clear timeline with this kind of injury,” he said. “We’ll see how he goes and decide from there.”

Despite past back issues that once kept Cummins out of Test cricket for over five years, he’s been very fit in recent years.

Steve Smith has captained Australia six times since 2021 when Cummins was unavailable, winning five of those matches. That includes one Ashes Test in Adelaide when Cummins had to sit out due to COVID protocols.

With Cummins out, Scott Boland is likely to stay in the team after his strong performance in the West Indies, where he took a hat-trick.

“Losing your captain isn’t ideal,” McDonald said, “but having someone like Boland ready is a good position to be in. And Steve Smith will step in as captain.”

Cummins will still travel with the team and continue his recovery. McDonald said fans might even wonder why he’s not playing in Perth because he’ll look close to full fitness by then.

Australia’s squad for the first Test will be announced next week after the third round of Sheffield Shield matches