Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has set himself a four-to-six-week timeline to recover from a lumbar bone stress injury, ruling him out of the upcoming limited-overs series against New Zealand and India. The 32-year-old will instead focus on being fully fit for the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21.
Recovery plan in motion
Cummins confirmed he will avoid bowling and limit running during the early stages of his rehabilitation. “For the next few weeks it’s pretty light — not much running and zero bowling,” he said, adding that a structured return-to-bowling program will be mapped out closer to the Ashes.
The injury flared up during Australia’s Test series win against the West Indies nearly two months ago, with scans revealing lumbar bone stress.
Shield games likely to be skipped
With recovery being the priority, Cummins is unlikely to feature in early Sheffield Shield fixtures. Instead, he has chosen to direct all efforts towards making himself available for the high-profile Ashes campaign.
“I’d imagine I’d want to be bowling at minimum a month out, maybe six weeks. It’s still a bit of wait and see, but there’s plenty of time,” Cummins remarked.
Depth in bowling stocks
Despite his absence, Cummins expressed confidence in Australia’s fast-bowling reserves. He highlighted Jhye Richardson, Sean Abbott, Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett, and Scott Boland as strong options to step in if needed.
“We feel really well placed,” Cummins noted. “A lot of planning goes in. It’s not just a month before, it’s 12 months out.”
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