Reports: Australia captain Pat Cummins likely to miss first Ashes Test

Australian captain Pat Cummins will miss the first Ashes Test against England, which is slated to begin on November 21 in Perth, due to a back ailment. The fast bowler, who has been sidelined for some weeks due to back issues, is still in rehabilitation, and new scans show that the injury has not fully healed.

According to CODE Sports and The Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins’ recent scan revealed modest progress but indicated that he is not yet fit to start bowling. With only six weeks till the first Test of the Ashes, the Australian captain’s availability appears unlikely. According to sources, Cummins’ comeback to international cricket could be delayed until December, perhaps missing a substantial amount of the series.

Steve Smith likely to step in as captain in place of Pat Cummins

Meanwhile, Steve Smith is expected to step in as captain, as he did during the Sri Lanka tour earlier this year when Cummins was sidelined. Smith, who has captained Australia in 40 Tests, is seen as the natural choice to lead the team in Cummins’ absence. Meanwhile, Scott Boland is expected to play an important role in the pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

The Australian Test captain had earlier addressed concerns about his fitness during a media interaction in Brisbane, revealing that missing the Ashes would be devastating. He stated that he was committed to his rehabilitation and hopeful of being fit in time for the series.

“That would be devastating, We’ll be doing everything we can to be right for that, [and] make a few decisions a little bit closer, but [I’m] confident we’ll do the rehab right and give it a good crack. This far out, it’s hard to know, but we’re trying to make sure we’re doing everything right to be right for Perth,” Cummins was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.