Pat Cummins has revealed that there is still some uncertainty around whether he will be able to play for Australia in the opening Test of their Ashes Series in Perth on November 21.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson said on Tuesday that Cummins had sustained a ‘level of lumbar bone stress’ that will require management over the coming months. It appears that the injury arose during Australia’s recent tour to the West Indies.
Cummins broke his silence on the matter on Wednesday, revealing to members of the media that he may need to take a few risks in order to play.
‘[I] had another scan on Monday, which was not terrible, but enough to know there’s a little bit there and [that I] need to be careful for the next little bit,’ Cummins told rights holders on Wednesday.
‘It doesn’t feel too bad, but I’m not bowling or doing much at the moment.’
It seems Cummins’ game time may be managed during the series due to the injury, with his experienced vice captain, Steve Smith, who took the reins in Sri Lanka earlier this year while his skipper was at home for the birth of his second child, set to step in.
Pressed on what it would be like to miss out on the first Test at the Optus Stadium, Cummins admitted: ‘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. It’s a big Ashes series, [it] doesn’t get much bigger, so you’re willing to be aggressive and take a few risks to try to play as much of the Tests as you can.’
Cummins revealed that even after returning from the West Indies, pain from the back injury lingered for some time, forcing him to have a few quiet weeks at home.
He has recently been out enjoying spending some time with his young family.
‘[I] was a little bit sore after the West Indies, had a scan, [and] there was a little bit going on, gave it another month, [and I] have had a bit of a quiet month to help it settle down.’
In fact, he revealed that the injury may have first reared its head during Australia’s World Test Championship final defeat at Lord’s in June.
‘Sometimes you may just get unlucky and you bowl lots of overs in, say, the World Test Championship final and that’s enough to start it, but through the West Indies I felt like it was a little sore but nothing [unusual] for a fast bowler. But once you get home and everything settles down, it hung around a little bit.’
Cricket Australia yesterday confirmed that the Baggy Greens skipper would not be considered for their upcoming limited-overs series against India.
But it’s not the first time Cummins has been ruled out with a back injury.
While the Aussie quick has remained somewhat fit and healthy over the past few years, he struggled for game time back in 2018 due to a stress fracture in his back.
‘I think I’ve been really lucky the last seven or eight years I haven’t really had much, so I missed the odd Test match here or there, but no real thing,’ Cummins said.
‘In 2018 I had a full-blown stress fracture that kept me out for an off-season.
‘But I’ve had a really good run as fast bowling goes, and I’ve been really well looked after, which has got me through this many Tests. I’ve bowled a lot over the last few years, something was bound to happen at some point, but hopefully get this right and don’t miss too much cricket.’
Smith, meanwhile, enjoyed a successful spell as the team’s captain earlier this year, winning the series in Sri Lanka, and continuity will no doubt be key if the Baggy Greens hope to retain the Urn on home soil.
More to follow…
