Australia captain Pat Cummins is racing against time to recover from a back injury ahead of the Ashes series against England, according to head coach Andrew McDonald.
Cummins has not bowled since July due to the injury and only recently returned to running earlier this month, leaving just weeks before the first Test in Perth, starting November 21. McDonald admitted that the timeframe for proving his fitness is tight, but remained cautiously optimistic about the skipper’s chances.
“Myself and Patty have spoken about that type of timeframe,” McDonald said. “Otherwise, you start to bring in other risk factors – either you’re not skill ready, or soft tissue injuries become a real concern. And if that happens early in a big series like the Ashes, it’s a long road back.”
If Cummins is unable to play in the series opener, Steve Smith could take over as captain, while Scott Boland would likely join the pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Despite the uncertainty, McDonald highlighted positive signs in Cummins’ recovery. “He’s a lot more optimistic now. These types of injuries tend to ebb and flow – a couple of weeks ago he was sore, but now there’s a lot more positivity,” he said.
McDonald also noted that Cummins’ experience in preparing for Tests with shortened preparation periods could work in Australia’s favor. “He’s done it before and performed well even with limited lead-up time. But reality is, time is tight. By this time next week, we’ll have a clearer picture of where he’s at.”
Ashes 2025 Series Schedule:
1st Test: Nov 21–25 – Perth
2nd Test: Dec 4–8 – Brisbane
3rd Test: Dec 17–21 – Adelaide
4th Test: Dec 25–29 – Melbourne
5th Test: Jan 3–7, 2026 – Sydney
(Tamil Craze)
