Australia’s captain Pat Cummins is not going to be there for the first Test match of the prospective Ashes series against England, which is set to commence in Perth on November 21. This was confirmed by Cricket Australia on Monday stating that the team would be led by the former captain Steve Smith in Cummins’ absence.
The player suffering a spinal injury has not been able to play since the West Indies were swept 3-0 by Australia in July. The 32-year-old fast bowler had a lower back stress injury, from which he is recovering, and these three months have been spent in his recovery.
He is still not fully fit, but he has started running again. Cricket Australia said he won’t make it for the opening match at Optus Stadium but they are hoping he can come back for the second Test, which starts in Brisbane on December 4.
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Andrew McDonald, the head coach, said that Cummins is close to being allowed to bowl again and could be starting to do nets this week.
“We need at least four weeks to get him ahead of time and unfortunately, we have run out of time but we are really optimistic and hopeful for the second test match,” McDonald said to the reporters in Canberra.
“He will be doing the bowling this week and that is a big step so we are on the road to that second test match and very hopeful that it will be a positive outcome.”
This incident has been a disaster for Australia as Cummins had become a major player in the bowling attack and among the leaders. On the contrary, Cummins’ going off the field means that Scott Boland is going to take his place and it is likely that he will be joining Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the pace department for the Perth Test.
Boland has a spectacular home-Test record he has taken 49 wickets in nine matches at an average of 12.63 which is very impressive.
Given the fact that Smith is back as captain, Australia is determined to keep their performance at a high level while taking the series back home. The five-match series will take place in Perth first, and then it will proceed to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.
