Australia skipper Pat Cummins ruled out of first Ashes Test

Pat Cummins has been ruled out of Australia’s first Ashes Test against England in Perth, starting on November 21, with former skipper Steve Smith confirmed to lead the side in his absence.

Cummins has yet to resume bowling as he continues to recover from the back stress injury he sustained during the Caribbean tour in June. The pacer had earlier said he hoped to return to bowling about four weeks before the series, but the recovery has taken longer than expected.

Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that the 32-year-old will miss the series opener but is optimistic about his availability for the second Test in Brisbane, a day-night fixture beginning December 4.

“We’ve grappled with it for a little while,” McDonald told reporters in Canberra. “The nature of this injury means it’s a day-by-day process. Unfortunately, we’ve run out of time for Perth, but we’re really hopeful he’ll be ready for Brisbane. He’ll be back bowling this week, which is a huge step forward.”

Despite being sidelined, Cummins will travel with the team to Perth to remain involved with the group.

“Patty will be around the group; he’ll come to Perth,” McDonald said. “By then, he’ll look so close to playing that people might wonder why he’s not in the XI. That’s how confident we are in his progress.”

With Cummins out, Scott Boland is the frontrunner to join the attack. The 35-year-old boasts an impressive home average of 12.63 with the ball.

“Losing your captain’s not ideal,” McDonald admitted. “But when you’ve got someone like Scott Boland as the potential replacement, it’s a good position to be in. Ideally, we’d want our captain available for stability and decision-making, but Steve Smith will slot into that role comfortably.”

Smith, who has captained Australia in 40 Tests, last led the side in February 2024 during the 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.