Australia pacer and Test captain Pat Cummins said he would want to be back bowling at least a month before the Ashes, scheduled for later this year.
Cummins has been managing lingering back soreness since Australia’s Test series win in West Indies almost two months ago, with scans later revealing lumbar bone stress. The 32-year-old is determined to feature in this summer’s Ashes and has vowed to take an aggressive approach to prove his fitness if required.
“I’d imagine (I’d want to be bowling) at minimum a month out, maybe six weeks,” Cummins told cricket.com.au. “But I’ve not thought that deeply about it yet. It’s still a bit of a wait and see. We’ve got plenty of time, so we’ll map a way back when we get closer,” he added.
His injury scare has raised concerns about Australia’s pace depth heading into the summer. Scott Boland remains the fourth member of the established attack and is ready to step in if needed, but options beyond him are thinning.
Speedster Lance Morris has been ruled out of the season after undergoing back surgery, while Jhye Richardson’s Ashes availability is uncertain as he recovers from a dislocated shoulder. Rising Queensland quick Callum Vidler is sidelined long-term with a back injury, and fellow young pacer Mahli Beardman is also nursing a stress fracture.
Despite this, Cummins is confident Australia has adequate cover. “A lot of planning goes in. It’s not just a month before, it’s 12 months out. Someone like Jhye Richardson hopefully he will be available for some of the summer. There’s (Michael) Neser, Brendan Doggett was part of squads last year, Sean Abbott. So I’m really confident in our depth,” he said.
Australia begins its Ashes defence at Perth Stadium on November 21, with further Tests scheduled in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney across December and January.
Published on Sep 10, 2025
