Pat Cummins is prepared to “take a few risks” and be “aggressive” in his recovery from a back injury to lead Australia in the winter Ashes series.
Cummins will be absent for Australia’s forthcoming white-ball series against New Zealand and India because of lumbar bone stress, a common injury among fast bowlers with intense workloads.
The Australia captain remains upbeat about being ready for the first Test against England, starting on 21 November in Perth, and he says he will do everything in his remit to avoid missing out.
“That would be devastating [to miss the series opener], so we’ll be doing everything we can to try to be right for that,” Cummins said in Brisbane on Wednesday.
“It’s a big Ashes series. It doesn’t get much bigger, so I think you’re willing to take a few risks and be a little bit aggressive to try and play as many Tests as you can. It’s [nearly] 12 weeks until the first Test, it feels a long way away, so we’ve got plenty of time.”
Cummins reported feeling soreness following Australia’s 3-0 Test series win in the West Indies in July, when he bowled 60 overs in three weeks, and since then he has been restricted to light gym work.
The early part of his career was blighted by back problems, but Cummins has gone on to prove himself as one of the finest pace bowlers of his generation with 309 wickets in 71 Tests at an average of 22.1. The 32-year-old is confident he does not necessarily need match practice to be firing on all cylinders to face Ben Stokes’s England in a much-anticipated five-Test series.
“At this stage of my career I feel like I can probably get up to speed a bit quicker than when I was 18 or 19,” Cummins said. “Back then you probably feel like you need to play a few [Sheffield] Shield games or one-dayers. I’m pretty confident even if I don’t get a chance to play a Shield game, I’ll can get up to speed.”
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.
“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.
