Australia has suffered a major blow ahead of their upcoming assignments, as pace spearhead and Test captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the limited-overs series against India scheduled for October-November.
The series, comprising ODIs and T20Is, was seen as an important preparation phase, but Cummins will not feature due to fitness concerns.
The right-arm quick has also been withdrawn from the T20 series against New Zealand this month.
Australia will first take on New Zealand in a three-match T20I series starting October 1.
After that, they will host India for a three-match ODI series between October 19 and 25, followed by a five-match T20I series from October 29 to November 8. The high-profile Ashes series against England is scheduled to begin in Perth on November 21.
“Cummins won’t be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India (or New Zealand) and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation,” read CA’s statement.
‘Long-term workload management’
Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that the decision was taken keeping in mind the long-term workload management of the fast bowler, particularly with the high-profile Ashes series against England around the corner.
Pat Cummins has been battling a recurring lower back stress fracture, an injury that has haunted him since his teenage years.
He first sustained the issue in 2011 during the Sheffield Shield and has faced multiple setbacks over the years, with flare-ups recorded in 2012, 2013, and most recently in September 2023. To ensure his complete recovery, CA has opted for a rehabilitation-first approach rather than risking him in back-to-back white-ball fixtures.
His absence means Australia will have to bank on the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and emerging talents to counter India’s formidable batting unit in the upcoming series.
For Cummins, the focus now shifts solely to regaining full fitness before stepping back into the leadership role in the Ashes—a contest he is determined not to miss.
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