Back issue returns to haunt Australia captain Pat Cummins, set to miss India series, doubtful for Ashes

CANBERRA: Australia captain Pat Cummins has faced a massive setback as his Ashes preparations have been compromised after a scan revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back, which has left him on the sidelines for the three white-ball series against New Zealand and India.

Following the recent whammy, Cummins won’t captain the Baggy Greens in a series that will feature batting stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are returning after their Test retirements, in three ODIs starting on October 19.

Australia’s Test and ODI skipper Cummins hasn’t played a single game since competing in the three Tests in the Caribbean, where his bowling rate was significantly lower than usual. He sat out of the five T20Is against the West Indies and both white-ball series against South Africa, which was presumed to give Cummins a 10-week gap to build his physical strength for the Ashes, which will kick off on November 21 in Perth.

Pat Cummins’ back injury has ruled him out of Australia’s white-ball series against New Zealand and India, with Cricket Australia saying the issue ‘will require further management’ ahead of the Ashes… pic.twitter.com/BN1ERyde3a

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) September 2, 2025

After the West Indies tour concluded, Cummins experienced back soreness that lingered for much longer than anticipated. He went for a routine scan on his lower back on Monday, which confirmed that Cummins was suffering from lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months.

“Cummins was rested from the recent T20 series against the West Indies and South Africa. Despite this planned de-load period, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower back pain following the West Indies Test tour”, a Cricket Australia statement said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

“Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months. Cummins won’t be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation”, the statement added.

In the first six years of his international career, Cummins was plagued by stress fractures and didn’t play a single Test between his debut in 2011 and his second game in the format in India in 2017.

Since 2017, Cummins has been extremely durable, with various minor issues, including hamstring and ankle injuries, which have been managed without him missing a significant amount of on-field action. In each of the last three years, Cummins has bowled 400-plus overs. However, in nine months of 2025, he has managed 175.1 overs, indicating a significant drop in his workload. (ANI)