According to reports, Australia captain Pat Cummins may miss the early stages of the 2025-26 home Ashes.
Cummins underwent routine scans of his back last week. According to a report in The Telegraph, the scans “revealed a problem that will need careful managing of his workload”.
The report added that “sources are privately admitting the problem is worse than expected and he is a doubt for the start of the Ashes series”. Even if he is fit, Cummins’s workload will need managing throughout the Ashes in Australia, which will start at Perth on November 21.
It is worth a mention that Cummins has not played any cricket since July 14, the last day of the Test series in the West Indies. He did not play the T20Is that followed, and missed the T20I and ODI series against South Africa at home.
If Cummins indeed does not play, it will be the second consecutive home Ashes during which he will miss a Test. He had missed the Adelaide Test match of the 2021/22 Ashes. In his absence, Steve Smith had led Australia to a 275-run win. The vice-captain of the current Australian Test set-up, Smith is expected to step in again, as he has done whenever Cummins has missed Tests or ODIs.
In Test cricket, Cummins usually bowls first-change after Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. In his absence, that role will pass on to Scott Boland, whose 14 Tests have fetched him 62 wickets at 16.53 apiece. However, Australia may face trouble if another fast bowler misses out due to an injury or for other reasons: none of Lance Morris, Spencer Johnson, and Jhye Richardson will start the season, while Cameron Green is still not bowling since his surgery.
“The Australia management remain optimistic he will be fit in time for the Ashes but it will be difficult for him to play every Test in an intense five-match series that will be over within 48 days while managing a back problem,” added the report.
