Due to a back ailment, Australian captain Pat Cummins will not play in the first Ashes Test match against England, which is expected to start in Perth on November 21. The fast bowler is currently undergoing rehabilitation after missing several weeks due to back issues, and new scans show that the ailment has not fully healed.
The Sydney Morning Herald and CODE Sports reported that Pat Cummins’ most recent scan revealed some progress but that he is not yet prepared to start bowling again. Given that the first Test of the Ashes is only six weeks away, it appears unlikely that the Australian skipper will play. Cummins may not return to international cricket until December, and he may even miss a large chunk of the series, according to reports.
Steve Smith is probably going to replace Pat Cummins as captain.
Steve Smith, who replaced Pat Cummins as captain during the Sri Lanka trip earlier this year, is anticipated to take over in the meantime. Smith is regarded as the obvious candidate to captain the team in Cummins’ absence because he has captained Australia in 40 Test matches. Alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland is anticipated to be a key member of the speed attack.
In a previous media appearance in Brisbane, the Australian Test captain had responded to questions on his fitness by saying that it would be disastrous to miss the Ashes. He declared that he was dedicated to his recovery and hoped to be well enough to play in the series.
“I’m confident we’ll do the rehab right and give it a good crack, but that would be devastating. We’ll be doing everything we can to be right for that, [and] make a few decisions a little bit closer.” The Sydney Morning Herald cited Pat Cummins as saying, “It’s difficult to know this far out, but we’re trying to make sure we’re doing everything right to be right for Perth.”
Notably, in order to avoid making the injury worse, Pat Cummins has apparently been restricted to working out at the gym and riding a bike. Multiple scans and careful observation by Cricket Australia’s medical team are part of his recuperation.
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