Cricket Australia (CA) chairman of selectors George Bailey is optimistic that Pat Cummins will regain full fitness just in time for the first Test of the Ashes, which will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth from 21 November.
Cummins has been ruled out of the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand and the home series against India due to a back problem.
“He’s just reported a little bit of ongoing back soreness,” chief selector George Bailey told reporters on Tuesday. “The focus for him has been, and will continue to be, preparation for that Test series against England.”
Although he is clear of stress fractures, the Australian Test captain will follow a rehabilitation plan as part of his recovery. While there is no guarantee that he will be fully fit by the Ashes series opener, Bailey is hopeful that Cummins will be ready.
“It still feels like there’s plenty of time. The full expectation is that Pat will be ready to go come the first Test. If it got to the stage where Pat had played no cricket ahead of the Ashes, I still think we’d be comfortable with his experience and skill level,” Bailey added.
Ahead of the Ashes, Cummins had been expected to feature in the white-ball series against India and a few Sheffield Shield matches prior to the high-profile five-Test series against England in the home summer.
Cummins, whose last appearance came in a Test in the West Indies, has been playing cricket regularly, and the back soreness is a result of that workload. He has not missed a home summer since the 2016–17 season, and Australia will be anxiously monitoring his fitness, as he remains a vital cog of the team.
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