Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has been officially ruled out of the first Ashes Test against England due to a lingering back injury, Cricket Australia announced on Monday. Steve Smith will take over as captain for the Test, which begins in Perth on November 22.
Cummins, 32, has not bowled since Australia's tour of the West Indies in July. He resumed running recently and is expected to return to bowling this week, but coach Andrew McDonald said the timeline was too tight for the first Test. 'We flagged it, that four-plus weeks to get him up and running, we've just run out of time,' McDonald said. 'But we are really optimistic for the second Test at the Gabba.'
McDonald confirmed that Scott Boland is the likely replacement for Cummins in the bowling attack. 'Losing your captain is not ideal, but when you think about Scott Boland being the potential replacement, it's not terrible,' he said. Another possible replacement, Sean Abbott, is injured after splitting the webbing in his right hand during a Sheffield Shield match on October 15.
Cummins had admitted a fortnight ago that he was 'probably unlikely' to be fit for the first Test but was trying to fast-track his recovery. He described the injury as a common bowling issue, saying it caused stiffness and awkwardness, even when holding his baby. The decision ends weeks of speculation, but there is no guarantee Cummins will be ready for the second Test starting December 3.
