Cummins Likely to Miss White-Ball Series vs NZ & IND, Ashes Participation Unclear: Reports

Australia’s cаptain Pat Cummins is dealing with a bad back injury, and it’s unclear if he will be able to play all five Tests in the upcoming Ashes series against England. The series starts in Brisbane on November 21, and Cummins injury is a big concern for Australiа as they prepare for the big contest.

A report from the Daily Mail says scans have shown that Pat Cummins is dealing with an injury that needs close care. More tests in the next few weeks will show how serious it is. Because of this, his workload will be reduced and the 32-year-old is expected to skip the T20I series against New Zealand starting October 1 as well as the ODI series against India at home.

“Officials say there’s no need to panic, but the selectors are preparing for the chance that Cummins might not play every Test,” the report said.

Pat Cummins Workload Under Spotlight Ahead of Ashes

After playing the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against South Africa and a three-match Test series in the West Indies, Pat Cummins skipped the white-ball matches against both West Indies and South Africa. Earlier this year, he managed to play all five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy despite carrying a minor ankle injury. Now, with the Ashes coming up his workload might need to be managed more carefully, much like how India looks after Jasprit Bumrah. During that series, Bumrah played all five Tests, but his body gave up on Day 2 of the Sydney Test, which hurt India’s chances of levelling the series 2-2.

Pаt Cummins, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, has had a career full of ups and downs since making his Test debut at 18, including a six-year break due to back injuries. He has played 71 Tests, taken 309 wickets, and led Australiа to the World Test Championship title in 2023. With the Ashes аpproaching, concerns over his fitness have grown, especially as he missed recent white-ball series аnd may have his workload managed carefully, similar to how India handle Jasprit Bumrah. 

Josh Hazlewood stressed the need to manage playing time, with Test players also using Sheffield Shield games for preparation. If Cummins is ruled out, Steve Smith is likely to step in as captain.

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