Pat Cummins Targets Bowling Return a Month Out from Ashes
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins is aiming to resume bowling 4–6 weeks ahead of the Ashes opener on November 21 in Perth, despite still being sidelined with a lumbar bone stress injury.
Cummins, 32, has been managing back soreness since Australia’s Test series in the West Indies, with scans confirming the presence of lumbar stress. He has been ruled out of upcoming white-ball assignments and will avoid running or bowling in the immediate term, following medical advice.
While he acknowledges there is still uncertainty around his exact return date, Cummins remains confident in Australia’s pace-bowling depth. Names such as Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are among those expected to carry the load if Cummins is not fit for the opener.
Cummins says that for the next few weeks his work will be light — little running, no bowling — as he focuses on recovery. He emphasised that being able to bowl a month or so before the Ashes would allow him adequate preparation, even if it means missing some domestic games like the Sheffield Shield.