Australia handed big Ashes blow as Pat Cummins faces series-long harm layoff
Pat Cummins has been struggling with a back injury throughout the year and scans have confirmed that the issue has still not healed, with the Australia captain potentially missing the entire Ashes series
Australian captain Pat Cummins is at risk of missing the ENTIRE Ashes series due to injury. The Aussie skipper has been battling a back problem throughout the year, and scans have shown that it’s yet to heal.
The 32-year-old was ruled out for his country’s white-ball series against South Africa and New Zealand and is also predicted to miss the forthcoming ODIs and T20s against India. It’s expected that Cummins will also be absent from the Ashes opener in Perth late next month, and his issue could potentially rule him out of the entire series.
His absence would be a massive setback for Australia as they aim to keep hold of the urn they’ve held since 2018. Cummins is undergoing rehabilitation but isn’t ready to return to bowling just yet.
Cummins last took to the field in the 3-0 whitewash victory over West Indies in July. If he doesn’t recover in time, Scott Boland is tipped to fill Cummins’ shoes in the pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Steve Smith is also the prime candidate to take on the captaincy, having led his country several times since being stripped of the role due to his involvement in the ball tampering scandal.
Last month, Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald expressed concern over Cummins’ fitness, stating: “It’s not ideal… he is working through a program. It was a routine scan on the back of the West Indies [tour], he does have a lumbar bone stress issue there, so he will just work through what his return to play looks like.
“We have got time. If it happened any closer [to the Ashes] then you would have to be making key decisions around what it all looks like. But we have got time, a lot more information to come, and as I said, we’re really hopeful that he will take a key part in the Ashes.”
While England has already announced their squad for the Ashes, Australia are yet to do so. However, they have revealed their selection for the upcoming white-ball matches against India.
Regarding their selection, George Bailey, Australia’s chair of selectors, stated: “We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket.”
Bailey further explained, “The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year. However, we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead.”
The first Ashes Test gets underway in Perth on November 21, with the final test beginning on January 3. 2026 in Sydney.
