Already ruled out of the T20I tour of New Zealand, Pat Cummins might miss all of the white-ball assignments preceding the Ashes. Cummins complained of back soreness after the West Indies Test series and the results of the scans are awaited to decide the further course of action.
Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins might be doubtful for the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting November 21, against England, having undergone scans for his sore back in Sydney on Monday, September 1. As per a Sydney Morning Herald report, depending upon the results of the scan, Cummins might sit out of all the white-ball assignments, which also include the home series against India in October.
Cummins will miss the New Zealand T20 tour at the start of October and the report stated that if Cricket Australia (CA) feels the injury will need systematic managing, Cummins’s plan to play in the Sheffield Shield to build his workload for the red-ball matches might be in jeopardy as well. However, there is an expectation that Cummins might be ready to go on November 21 morning in Perth, but a lot of things have to go right before that.
If Cummins misses out, the workload of the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will be tested, given all three of them played all four Tests in the winter – three against the West Indies and the World Test Championship (WTC) final. However, it does increase the chances of Scott Boland playing regularly in the summer, fresh off a Test hat-trick in Jamaica against the West Indies.
The report stated that Cummins hasn’t done bowling at all since the West Indies tour after returning home, but has been doing a bit of strengthening work at the gym.
Cummins sent down 85.1 overs in those four Tests and Cricket Australia (CA) and its medical team wouldn’t want to rush the skipper. With Cameron Green set to begin his bowling workload, Australia might have to call on the likes of Sean Abbott andย Lance Morris to back up the big three ahead of a big summer.
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