Sydney
Australia captain Pat Cummins has said he is aiming to return for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane after missing the opening match in Perth due to a lower back injury. Cummins has not played since July and has been ruled out of the first Test, where Steve Smith will step in as captain. Scott Boland is likely to take Cummins’ place in the bowling attack for the series opener on November 21.
Cummins said he has started bowling multiple overs again, but on a reduced run-up for now. He said his plan and recovery are being built around the Brisbane day-night Test starting December 4. He said he will get a better idea about his progress once he bowls in Perth during the first Test week.
The fast bowler said he is positive about his body’s response so far, but he does not want to make any strong commitments too early. He said that the challenge in an Ashes series is also about workload management. If he bowls a very heavy spell in one match, he might need more time before the next Test, especially with short turnarounds. There are only four days between the third and fourth Tests, and another four days between the fourth and final Tests.
Cummins has been a regular member of Australia’s Ashes side since the 2017-18 series and said he wants to play as much of this series as possible. Australia has already announced its squad for the first Test which includes Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Boland, Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett as pace options.
