Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins might not play any competitive cricket in the lead-up to the Ashes after scans revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back. This rules him out of Australia’s white-ball series versus New Zealand (three T20Is) and India (three ODIs and five T20Is) in October and November.
Cummins has been out of the side since Australia’s 3-0 red-ball series win against West Indies in July, missing the T20I leg of the Caribbean tour as well as the ODI and T20I series against South Africa in Australia’s Top End. Interestingly, his workload this year has been relatively low across formats. A similar case occurred during the Caribbean Test series, where he bowled just 60 overs across three games, his lowest tally in a Test series with at least three matches.
It is understood that Cummins experienced soreness in his lower back after the West Indies Test series, and a routine scan on Monday revealed the bone stress. Fortunately, the right-arm pacer was spared from any stress fracture, which means, if all goes well, he is still in line to be fit before the opening Ashes Test on November 21 in Perth.
“There always was a de-load planned for him post that West Indies Test series, and then he’s just reported that he had a little bit of ongoing back soreness as part of that, and [the scan] just identified a little bit of lumbar bone stress,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “I think the focus for him has and will continue to be just preparation for that [Ashes] Test series.
“So there’ll just be some further management and a little bit of rehab around that. But in terms of the plan for the Ashes, I don’t think too much will change. There still feels like there’s plenty of time. But there’s full expectation that Pat will be right to go come the first Test.”
Cummins said after the West Indies tour that he was looking to feature in the New Zealand and India series as well as the Sheffield Shield game before the Perth Test. While the former two series are now a no-go for him, he could still make a Shield appearance. There is a game between New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland on November 3, which he can potentially be a part of if his back isn’t still recovering.
“I think he’s one, certainly skill-wise, that has entered summers at different stages without a great amount of match balls at different times,” Bailey said. “Given how far out we are there’s the potential for some Shield cricket in the lead-up. There’s still options there. If it got to the stage where they were taken off the table, I still think that we’d be comfortable with Pat’s experience and skill level.”
Australia would also look to be careful with the rest of their big three pacers. This could see Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc not being part of all the white-ball games of the upcoming series. Starc, who announced his retirement from T20I cricket a few days ago, will naturally be only available for selection in the three ODIs. Hazlewood, however, has plans to play a Shield game as well.
Cummins’ injury could push the Australian think tank to consider including two fast-bowling all-rounders, Cameron Green and Beau Webster, in the squad for the Ashes. Green’s potential return to bowling would have otherwise likely pushed Webster out of the side. That could change now to ensure the workload of Australia’s pace trio is managed properly.
