Cummins doubtful for Ashes opener in Perth

Sydney, 13 October 2025:

Australia captain Pat Cummins says he is “less likely than likely” to be fit for next month’s Ashes opener in Perth as he continues his recovery from a lumbar back stress injury.

Cummins, 32, resumed running last week and expects to begin bowling drills next week but admitted he remains “a couple of weeks away” from bowling on turf wickets. The first Test against England begins Nov. 21 at Perth Stadium.

“You’d want at least probably a month in the nets,” Cummins said Monday at the Kayo Sports Summer of Cricket launch in Sydney. “If you play a Test match, you want to make sure you’re right to bowl 20 overs in a day and not have to think about it. So four weeks is pretty tight, but I think somewhere around that mark.”

Cummins said his workload has been gradually increasing. “I’m running today and every second day, and each run is a little bit longer. I’ll get into bowling prep next week,” he said.

Head coach Andrew McDonald noted that Cummins’ outlook has improved recently, but with just four weeks until the Ashes opener, the captain admitted the timeline remains challenging.

“With these things, it’s pretty hard to go from not bowling at all to suddenly playing five Tests,” Cummins said. “First steps are trying to give myself a shot at being right, and then we’ll work out how much I play.”

Cummins said he might take some calculated risks to return for the Ashes given the series’ importance. “This is the big series in the next six to 12 months,” he told cricket.com.au. “But you’ve got to weigh that up against taking stupid risks that might cost you long-term.”

The right-arm pacer first noticed discomfort during Australia’s 3-0 series win over the West Indies in July. “Realistically, bowling a lot and at high intensity puts you at risk,” he said.

Cummins said he’s confident in Australia’s depth if he’s unable to play, praising in-form seamer Scott Boland. “Scotty’s coming off a hat trick, so no doubt he’ll be in for a big summer,” he said. “In the last few years, whenever someone’s missed out, another guy has stepped in and done a brilliant job.”

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