Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the opening Test match in the impending Ashes series, which will get underway next month in Perth. Steve Smith will lead the team in his stead against England, Cricket Australia said on Monday.
Cummins has been out of action since Australia whitewashed West Indies 3-0 in July. He has been sidelined with a lower-back injury since then. While there were always doubts over his availability for the Ashes series opener in Perth on November 21, Cricket Australia chose to wait, but eventually confirmed on Monday that he will be missing the game at the Optus Stadium. The development comes as a major blow to Australia’s hopes of retaining the urn.
However, head coach Andrew McDonald revealed that Cummins has already resumed running, and would be back in the nets for bowling sessions later this week. And positive update from those training sessions could reveal if the 32-year-old can take part in the day-night second test in Brisbane from December 4.
“It takes four plus weeks to get him up and running, and we’ve run out of time, unfortunately, but really optimistic and hopeful for the second test match,” McDonald told reporters in Canberra.
“He’ll be back bowling this week, and that’s a huge step … so we’re on the journey to that second test match, and very hopeful that that will be a positive outcome.”
Smith, who was removed from the captaincy following the infamous sandpaper scandal in 2018, has filled in for Cummins as Australia’s Test skipper on six occasions since the bowler took over in November 2021. In 2025, he led Australia in the two Tests in Sri Lanka, scoring 141 and 131 to guide the team to victory.
“We flip into Steve Smith being the captain, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have such an experienced captain himself,” McDonald said. “They’re a good working couple, so to speak … and Paddy will be around the group as well. So he’ll come to Perth with us, I can declare that.”
Although Australia have yet to announce their squad for the Ashes series, Scott Boland will likely replace Cummins in the Perth opener. The 36-year-old is particularly effective on Australia’s hard decks and has taken 62 wickets at an average of 16.53 in his 14 matches.
