Injury setback forces Cummins out of Ashes opener
Australia will begin the 2025-26 Ashes series without their captain and pace spearhead, Pat Cummins, who has officially been ruled out of the first Test against England due to a back stress injury. The match, set to begin November 21 at Perth Stadium, will now be led by Steve Smith, marking his seventh appearance as stand-in captain since 2021.
Cummins has not resumed bowling since being diagnosed in September, and the timeline for his recovery has remained fluid. He had hoped to return with four weeks of bowling prep before the series opener, but those plans have fallen short.
Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed the development while speaking to reporters in Canberra.
“We’ve run out of time,” McDonald said.
“We sort of flagged this a week or so ago that it would take sort of four plus weeks to get him up and running and we’ve run out of time, unfortunately, but really optimistic and hopeful for the second Test match.”
Return timeline still uncertain as bowling resumes this week
Despite being ruled out of the opener, Cummins is set to return to bowling this week — a milestone that could shape his availability for the second Test in Brisbane.
“So I suppose the next question is what’s the time frame? What does it look like for the second Test? Not really going to be able to answer that other than to say that he’ll be back bowling this week and that’s a huge step,” McDonald explained.
“That was the big variable that we wanted to add in and get that information. So we’re on the journey to that second Test and very hopeful that that will be a positive outcome.”
His progress will be monitored closely by team staff before any final decisions are made.
“We’ll see how he pulls up and then we’ll make decisions moving forward,” McDonald added.
“I know that sounds really boring and everyone wants a time frame and what’s the risk associated with it. There’s better people than I to speculate on what that is.”
“With the nature of this injury, it’s never going to be a clear time frame and I think that’s what everyone here today wants is a time frame to say, this is definitely what will happen. We’re not in a position to do that and I’d never put the medical team under that sort of duress either.”
Boland likely to replace Cummins in pace attack
Scott Boland, who took a hat-trick against the West Indies in Australia’s last Test, is the front-runner to replace Cummins in the bowling lineup. His career average of 12.63 on home soil makes him a potent option.
“Losing your captain’s not ideal, but when you talk about Scott Boland being the potential replacement, it’s not a bad position to be in,” McDonald said.
The team will also weigh additional bowling options to round out the squad. Michael Neser, Riley Meredith, and Fergus O’Neill are all in contention, with O’Neill’s recent five-wicket haul in the Sheffield Shield boosting his case.
Smith steps in as captain for seventh time
Steve Smith will step back into the leadership role, having captained Australia six times previously in Cummins’ absence. Under Smith, Australia has won five of those matches, including an Ashes Test in Adelaide during the 2021-22 series.
“Ideally we want the captain available for stability and decision making but…Steve Smith will slide into that position,” McDonald said.
“I suppose you get excited about when he does come back, what an injection that will be to the group, a fully fit Pat Cummins returning some stage during the Ashes and that’s what we’re hopeful for.”
Cummins will travel with the team to Perth and is expected to be bowling in front of coaches during the series opener.
“It’ll almost be one of those things where you’ll see him in work and it’ll almost be a question of why isn’t he playing in Perth?” McDonald said.
“That’s where we think he’ll be placed by that stage. So we’re excited by getting eyes on him in a bowling capacity.”
Cummins’ absence a cautious decision after weeks of deliberation
The decision to rule out Cummins wasn’t made lightly. The coaching and medical teams have been weighing his recovery carefully.
“We’ve grappled with it for a little while,” McDonald admitted.
Still, the selectors and support staff remain optimistic that Cummins could return by the second or third Test, especially with the packed back-end of the series demanding strategic rotation.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an experienced captain,” McDonald said of Smith.
“They’re a good working sort of couple, so to speak. They work well together and there’ll be a nice handover.”
As the countdown to the Ashes opener continues, Australia will hope that Smith’s leadership experience and the squad’s fast‑bowling depth can offset the loss of their captain in Perth. While Cummins’ absence is undoubtedly a setback, the coaching staff remains confident that his return later in the series could provide a timely lift in what promises to be another fiercely fought battle for the urn.
2025–26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes schedule
First Test: November 21–25, Perth Stadium, 1.30pm AEDT
Second Test: December 4–8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3.30pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17–21, Adelaide Oval, 11am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26–30, MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4–8, SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
