Cummins ruled out of Ashes opener

Australia suffered a major setback ahead of the Ashes series as skipper Pat Cummins was ruled out of the first Test against England due to a back injury. Vice-captain Steve Smith will step in to lead the side when the series begins in Perth on November 21.

Cummins, who has been battling a back stress injury since July, had earlier admitted he was “less than likely” to be ready for the Ashes opener. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Monday that the pacer had run out of time to recover fully.

“We’ve flagged this for a while, it was always going to be tight,” McDonald said. “We’re optimistic about him returning for the second Test in Brisbane, but for now, he’s not ready.”

The 32-year-old fast bowler is expected to resume bowling this week, marking an important step toward his comeback. McDonald said the medical staff will continue to monitor his progress before making a final call on his participation in the second Test starting December 4.

Despite being sidelined, Cummins will travel with the team to Perth to stay involved with the group. “Patty will be around the squad, and by that stage, people might wonder why he isn’t playing, that's how close he’ll be,” the coach added.

Smith, who has led Australia six times in Cummins’ absence since 2021, will once again take charge. McDonald praised the experienced batter’s leadership and partnership with Cummins.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have someone like Steve to step in. He and Patty work well together, and the handover will be seamless,” McDonald said.

In Cummins’ absence, Scott Boland is likely to join Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in Australia’s pace attack for the opener.

“Losing your captain is never ideal,” McDonald admitted, “but when you have someone like Boland coming in, it’s not a bad situation to be in.”