Ashes in Jeopardy? Pat Cummins Suffers Back Injury, Raising Concerns for Australia

Pat Cummins, the captain of the Australian cricket team, will miss the upcoming limited-overs series against New Zealand and India due to a back injury. Medical assessments revealed lumbar bone stress, necessitating a period of rest and careful management. This will see him out of action throughout October and November. The injury was discovered during routine medical examinations conducted after Australia’s World Test Championship Final and their tour of the West Indies earlier this year. Although no fracture was found, the extent of the bone stress requires a prolonged recovery program. Cummins has been a vital leader for Australia since taking over the captaincy in November 2021, and has missed just two Tests through injury in that time. He has led the team to a WTC victory, an Ashes win in England, and an ODI World Cup title. During the recent tours of the Caribbean and England, the 32-year-old bowled more than 95 overs in four Tests, and subsequently experienced back soreness. Cummins has a history of back problems. Early in his career, stress fractures significantly impacted his ability to play Test cricket, preventing his return after a strong debut in 2011. Since 2017 and his return, he’s been a regular presence, playing in 19 of the previous 20 Ashes Tests. If Cummins isn’t able to recover for the Ashes opener in Perth, Scott Boland is likely to be included in the pace attack. Vice-captain Steve Smith is set to take over captaincy responsibilities if Cummins is ruled out, similar to the role he played during the team’s tour of Sri Lanka last year.