The 2025 Ashes is starting from November 21, and there is bad news for the Australian camp. The Australian captain Pat Cummins has been laid low by a back problem, and he will be facing a race against time to get himself fit for the big-ticket series. The spearhead of the pace attack will miss the forthcoming limited-overs games against New Zealand and India as Australia look to manage his recovery for the Ashes.
The one silver lining for Cummins is that the problem has been diagnosed as a lumbar bone stress and not a stress fracture of the back. “Cummins won’t be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India (or New Zealand) and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation,” read CA’s statement.
Since 2024, Cummins has played 23 matches, including 14 Tests. He has claimed 70 wickets in those games. He led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL, in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In 2024, he played 16 matches, claiming 18 wickets, and in 2025, he played 14 matches, claiming 16 wickets. He suffered an ankle injury this year.
The first Test of the Ashes will be played at the Perth Stadium between November 21 to November 25. The second match will be a day-night fixture at the Gabba in Brisbane. That will be followed by the third Test in Adelaide. Then the Boxing-Day Test will be held in Melbourne from December 26, and the Ashes series will conclude with the Sydney Test in the new year. Meanwhile, the T20I series in New Zealand will begin on October 1, while the limited overs matches against India are scheduled to commence on October 19.
Australia lost the World Test Championship Final to South Africa, but they thrashed the West Indies in the Caribbean by clean sweeping the series 3-0. On the other hand, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India was hard fought, and it ended in a 2-2 draw.
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