Australia will be without skipper Pat Cummins for the opening Ashes Test against England, as the pace spearhead continues to recover from a back injury.
Vice-captain Steven Smith has been appointed stand-in captain for the first match, starting November 21 in Perth.
The All-Australian pace leader is expected to begin bowling again this week in a bid to be fit for the second Test in Brisbane, which begins on December 4 at the Gabba.
His absence was widely anticipated after it emerged earlier this month that he had yet to resume bowling following a lumbar stress injury sustained in September.
Cummins, 31, reported discomfort after returning from Australia’s tour of the West Indies, prompting the medical team to take a cautious approach with his recovery.
Head coach confirms timeline 'ran out'
Head coach Andrew McDonald, speaking to reporters in Canberra, admitted that Cummins’ recovery had not progressed quickly enough to meet the first Test deadline.
“We’ve run out of time,” McDonald said. “We flagged this about a week ago — it was always going to take more than four weeks to get him up and running. We’re still really optimistic about the second Test.”
McDonald confirmed that Cummins will start bowling again this week, marking a significant step in his rehabilitation.
“That was the big variable we wanted to assess. Now it’s about how he responds. We’re hopeful Brisbane will be a positive outcome,” he added.
Cummins’ comeback will depend on how his back responds to initial bowling sessions. The Australian management remains cautious about rushing his return.
“We’ll see how he pulls up and then we’ll make decisions moving forward,” McDonald said. “With this type of injury, there’s never going to be a clear time frame. I’d never put the medical team under that sort of pressure either.”
Cummins, who once battled chronic back problems that sidelined him from Test cricket for over five years, has largely maintained exceptional fitness since returning in 2017.
Smith steps up again
Smith, who has captained Australia six times since 2021 when Cummins was unavailable, has a strong record — winning five matches, including one during the 2021–22 Ashes series when Cummins missed the Adelaide Test as a Covid close contact.
McDonald expressed full confidence in Smith’s leadership.
“Losing your captain’s not ideal, but when you’ve got someone like Steve Smith stepping in, it’s not a bad position to be in,” he said.
Cummins’ absence opens the door for Scott Boland, who recently impressed with a hat-trick against the West Indies. Boland is expected to retain his place in the playing XI for the Perth Test.
“Ideally we want our captain available for stability and decision-making, but Steve will slide into that role seamlessly,” McDonald noted. “When Cummins returns, it’ll be a huge boost for the group.”
Australia’s squad for the Perth Test will be confirmed next week following the third round of Sheffield Shield fixtures. Cummins will still travel with the team despite being unavailable for selection.
“You’ll probably see him bowling in the nets and wonder why he’s not playing,” McDonald said. “That’s the stage we expect him to be at by then — close to full fitness.”
