Australia expect Pat Cummins to be available for the first Ashes Test in November, despite even as the captain deals with stress in his back.
The star fast bowler will miss the upcoming Twenty20 tour of New Zealand and back-to-back home white-ball series against India because of lumbar bone stress.
Cummins has been cleared of stress fractures after a routine scan had earlier picked up an issue, but he will be racing the clock to be fit for Australia’s opening Test in Perth against England starting on 21 November.
George Bailey, the chairman of selectors, has backed Cummins to lead Australia out at Optus Stadium to begin the defence of the urn.
“There still feels like there’s plenty of time,” Bailey said, referencing 80 days until the Ashes starts.
“On the back of the scan, there’ll just be continued rehab and monitoring around that. Full expectation [is] that Pat would be right to go come the first Test.”
Cummins was expected to skip the tour of New Zealand but his preparations for the Ashes have been disrupted with the 32-year-old captain ruled out of the three-match one-day series against India in October.
If Cummins is not able to prove his fitness in time to face England, Australia have captaincy and bowling options to cover him. Scott Boland would almost certainly be called into the pace attack: the Victorian took a hat-trick in Australia’s previous Test against West Indies in July.
The former national captain Steve Smith has also covered for Cummins on numerous occasions since the seamer was appointed as leader of the Test side in November 2021.
Cummins missed a Test during the 2021-22 Ashes because of Covid‑19 protocols, and he did not play in the final two games of Australia’s tour of India in 2023 after the death of his mother.
“Despite this planned deload period, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower-back pain following the West Indies Test tour,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said. “Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months.”
Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, has announced his retirement from international T20 cricket in a bid to extend his Test career. Starc’s 79 wickets in 65 T20 internationals places him second on the all-time list for Australia behind Adam Zampa.
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“Test cricket is and has always been my highest priority,” the left‑arm fast bowler said. “I have loved every minute of every T20 game I have played for Australia, particularly the 2021 World Cup, not just because we won but the incredible group and the fun along the way.
“Looking ahead to an away Indian Test tour, the Ashes and an ODI World Cup in 2027, I feel this is my best way forward to remain fresh, fit and at my best for those campaigns.”
Australia’s squad to tour New Zealand for three T20s includes the left-armer Ben Dwarshuis, alongside Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott. Mitch Owen returns after being concussed in the second game against South Africa, with Matt Short named after recovering from a side strain.
The experienced all-rounder Marcus Stoinis also returns to the squad for the series starting on 1 October.
Australia T20 squad Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.