Cummins Eyeing Ashes Return Despite Back Injury: May 'Take a Few Risks' to Be Fit
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has revealed he may be willing to “take a few risks” in his recovery from a back injury in order to be fit for the upcoming Ashes series, set to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The 32-year-old pace spearhead has been ruled out for the next two months after scans confirmed lumbar bone stress, forcing him to miss the upcoming white-ball tours of New Zealand and India.
Despite the setback, selectors remain optimistic. Chair of selectors George Bailey stated earlier this week that he expects Cummins to be ready for the Ashes opener. Cummins himself echoed that sentiment while speaking to reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.
“That would be devastating, so we’ll be doing everything we can to try to be right for that,” Cummins said. “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 much Test cricket as you can.”
The injury surfaced after Cummins led Australia to a dominant 3-0 Test series win over the West Indies in July. Despite bowling just 60 overs across the series, he reported soreness and has since been managing the issue with rest and gym-based rehab.
“It doesn’t feel too bad, but I’m obviously not bowling or doing too much at the moment,” Cummins added. “With bone injuries, you really just want to settle it down.”
The fast bowler is expected to avoid bowling and running for the immediate future but is confident he can return to full fitness even without playing any Sheffield Shield matches in the lead-up to the Ashes.
“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. I’m pretty confident even if I don’t get a chance to play a Shield game, I’ll be able to get up to speed.”
With approximately 12 weeks remaining until the first Ashes Test, the Australian camp is taking a cautious but hopeful approach. Should Cummins not recover in time, the selectors have a strong bench of pace options, including Scott Boland, who recently claimed a hat-trick in the third Test against the West Indies.
Cummins also named Sean Abbott, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, and Brendan Doggett among the backup options, emphasising the importance of depth in Australia’s pace battery.
“There’s guys who’ve been in and around the Test team over the last few years and haven’t had too many opportunities, but we know they’re going to be good enough if they’re needed,” he said. “But hopefully the other three [main quicks] are fighting fit, plus me, and we’ve got plenty of resources.”
If Cummins is unable to lead the side in the opening Ashes Test, Steve Smith is expected to step in as stand-in captain, a role he has fulfilled on multiple occasions since Cummins took over the leadership in November 2021.
The Ashes 2025-26 will begin on November 21 in Perth, followed by Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.