Australia's Ashes preparations have been dealt a blow, with reports suggesting captain Pat Cummins is set to miss the start of the series against England and is in doubt for the entire campaign. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, recent scans on the 32-year-old’s back revealed his stress injury has not healed sufficiently for him to resume bowling. The first Test is scheduled to begin in Perth on November 21, leaving a tight timeframe for the fast bowler to prove his fitness.
In the likely event of Cummins' absence, former captain Steve Smith is expected to step in to lead the side. Smith has served as stand-in skipper on multiple occasions since Cummins was appointed Test captain in 2021. The vacancy in the pace attack would likely be filled by Scott Boland, who would join Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to form Australia's new-ball trio.
Cummins has not played any cricket since Australia’s test tour of the West Indies in July. He was subsequently ruled out of white-ball series against South Africa and New Zealand, and was already confirmed to be missing the upcoming ODI and T20I matches against India. With the Ashes opener just over six weeks away, concerns are growing that there is not enough time for him to safely build up the bowling workload required for a five-Test series.
While reports indicate a prolonged sideline for the captain, Cricket Australia has not officially ruled him out and has stated that his rehabilitation is progressing. Last month, coach Andrew McDonald expressed hope that Cummins would play a key part in the series, but the latest scan results have cast further doubt on that outlook.
The potential loss of their captain and premier fast bowler is a major setback for Australia's hopes of retaining the Ashes urn, which they have held since 2018. The situation places increased importance on the workload management of Starc and Hazlewood during the upcoming series against India, as Australia looks to manage its bowling resources ahead of the marquee test series.