&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Is Pat Cummins fit for the Ashes? Injury concerns rise for Aussie skipper")
Australia are confident of having their skipper and pace spearhead, Pat Cummins, fit in time for the highly anticipated Ashes series opener in Perth on November 21, despite a back injury that has sidelined him from upcoming white-ball matches.
The 32-year-old quick has been diagnosed with a lumbar bone stress fracture following Australia’s Tests in England and the West Indies. The injury isn’t as serious as the stress fractures he had earlier in his career. However, it’s still intense enough that the selectors have decided he won’t play in the limited-overs matches against New Zealand and India.
There are still 80 days before the first ball of the men’s Test summer and Cricket Australia is optimistic that Cummins will be ready. Chief selector George Bailey said in a statement read from Cricket Australia, “We have a full expectation that Pat will be right to go come that first Test,” adding his Ashes preparation will not change significantly given he was already in a planned “de-load” period.
Cummins has missed just two Tests since 2021
Cummins, who has missed just two Tests since taking over as captain in 2021, must now balance rest with gradually building his bowling workload for a grueling five-Test series. Ideally, he would have tuned up with white-ball cricket, but selectors remain open to him playing Sheffield Shield matches for New South Wales in October or November if needed.
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“He’s certainly one … that has entered summers at different stages without a great amount of match balls at different times.“ If it got to the stage where they were taken off the table, I still think that we’d be comfortable with Pat’s experience and skill level.” Bailey added.
Bailey admitted the senior seam quartet of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, and Boland have been remarkably durable: “Then when they have managed to get through all five (Tests), it’s a hats off to them and it’s a hats off to the physical performance team to get them through it.”
Cummins' record in the Ashes series
The Australian skipper has been one of the most reliable Ashes performers, taking 91 wickets at 24.10 in 19 Tests since 2017. His best Ashes figures came at the SCG in 2018, with match figures of 8/119.
